BOOK LAUNCH

AT THE ROYAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE

Anthropology at the Crossroads: The View from France

Volume One of the RAI Country Series

edited by Sophie Chevalier

Monday 19 October at 5.30pm

The influence of French intellectual thought on anthropology worldwide has been immense. This set of outstanding essays examines the influence of Lévi-Strauss, internal debates concerning anthropology’s place within French culture, the way that anthropologists in France approach the dilemmas of practising in a globalized world, and the shifting relationship between anthropology and museums. They also contain a highly stimulating discussion of how anthropology ‘at home’ has a particular trajectory in France. Together, they allow us to appreciate better why France has been such a stimulating laboratory for anthropological thought and why it is likely to remain so in the future. Indeed, leading figures have emerged there not only because of the brilliance of French academic culture, but also because of a specific readiness to combine an interest in public life and philosophy with anthropology.

Sophie Chevalier, the editor of these essays, has long played a leading part in organizing and publishing French anthropology, as president of one of its professional associations, an instigator of the first unified national association for anthropology, and founding editor of the multimedia online journal, ethnographiques.org. Here she has brought together prominent French anthropologists and some younger scholars to show that anthropology there is responding creatively to domestic institutional pressures as well as the challenges of globalization.  

The event is free, but tickets must be booked. To book tickets please go to http://frenchanth.eventbrite.co.uk