Anthropological Praxis: Translating Knowledge into Action

This text presents twenty-five original case studies that show working anthropologists solving problems in government and industry. The chapters are expanded versions of the 1981-1983 winning entries from the annual Praxis competition. In each chapter, the author describes the targeted problem or issue, his or her role as an anthropologist, the specific anthropological skills or knowledge used, and the results of the work. These in-depth studies demonstrate ways in which anthropological knowledge is applicable to real-life situations. The introduction, by coeditors Robert M. Wulff and Shirley J. Fiske, sets the agenda for understanding the dimensions of applied anthropology today. The editors examine the anthropologist’s role in public management and the policy process. This provocative text is a must for any introductory applied anthropology course, graduate or undergraduate, used alone as a casebook or in conjunction with a more theoretically based applied anthropology text. It is an excellent guide for anthropologists hoping to work outside academia or for the mid-career anthropologist thinking of a career switch as well as for students embarking on internships.