Blackwell Reference Online

Comprised of 24 newly commissioned chapters, this defining reference resource on Latin America introduces English-language readers to the debates, traditions, and sensibilities that have shaped the study of this diverse region. Written by some of the most prominent figures in Latin American and Latin Americanist anthropology and drawing on their own ethnographic research, the Companion highlights national and regional debates. Both geographically and topically focused, these chapters give a vivid sense of how anthropologists often combine intellectual and political work to address the pressing social and cultural issues of Latin America. Ultimately this volume encourages readers to consider how a confrontation with Latin American political, cultural, and historical realities has forced us to rethink traditional categories of scholarly analysis.