The book is a comprehensive overview of social and cultural anthropology. In this radically revised and updated edition, Thomas Hylland Eriksen focuses on essential issues such as kinship, nationalism, rituals, and political systems, providing numerous examples that demonstrate both the scientific breadth of Anthropology and the importance of comparative analysis.

Examining a range of societies, from the islands of the Pacific to the Arctic regions and from small villages in Africa to modern nation-states, the book reveals the immense diversity of social life and human culture. Finally, the author expands the scope of his studies to include the complex societies of our time, offering the contemporary reader a complete work.