Western individualism has delayed scientific recognition of the essentially social nature of consciousness - or at least of the human mind and brain. Milestone publications (in ethology, primatology and cognitive science), dealing with theory of mind, Machiavellian intelligence, the social brain and mirror neurones, demonstrate that the origin of consciousness needs to be understood in a social context. This is reinforced by classic theorists in social psychology and cultural and social anthropology, like Dilthey, Baldwin, Cooley, Mead and Goffman. The contributors to this volume, including Robert Turner, Nalini Ambady, Corrado Sinigaglia, Chris Knight, Colwyn Trevarthen, Maya Gratier, Michael Apter, Joan Chiao and Imants Baruss, introduce some of these anthropological themes into consciousness studies.