Eriksen shows how anthropology helps to shape contemporary thinking and why itis inherently radical. In the second section he discusses core issues ingreater de... » 

Eriksen shows how anthropology helps to shape contemporary thinking and why itis inherently radical. In the second section he discusses core issues ingreater detail. Reciprocity or exchange or giftgiving is shown to be thebasis of every society. Eriksen examines kinship in traditional societies andshows why it remains important in complex ones. He argues nature is partlycultural and explores anthropological views on human nature as well asecology. He delves into cultural relativism and the problem of understandingothers. Finally he describes the paradoxes of identity ethnic nationalreligious or postmodern as the case may be. «