From Library Journal

Darnell (anthropology, Univ. of Western Ontario) argues that the contributions of Franz Boas and his followers remain relevant for today's anthropologists, who are more likely to draw their theories and inspiration from outsiders such as Michel Foucault, Benedict Anderson, and Edward Said than from other anthropologists. Written on a high theoretical level, this outstanding book is the product of the author's lifelong engagement with her disciplinary ancestors. Her familiarity with the Boasian corpus enables her to breathe life into the often-dry primary works under scrutiny and provide a convincing genealogy of anthropological theories of and approaches to culture, language, history, psychology, and biography. Rather than closely following texts, she uses a more improvisational method, bringing in archival and informal sources. Her notion that the distinct angle of anthropology as taught and practiced in North America can be traced to its early focus on Native Americans is debatable. Still, this book is chockfull of insight. Highly recommended for academic libraries. Jay H. Bernstein, Fordham Univ. Lib., Bronx, NY

Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Darnell . . . argues that postmodernist fashion hides the strong continuity in American anthropology. . . . Chapters discuss tension between focusing on individuals in societies versus generalizing their ''cultures'' and difficulties of translating or conveying worldviews. . . . Darnell''s erudite history of Americanist (Boasian) linguistic anthropology deflates the self-serving professors of the new, returning anthropological theory to its persistent burden of representing both variation and common cores."-Choice (Choice )

"Written on a high theoretical level, this outstanding book is the product of the author''s lifelong engagement with her disciplinary ancestors. Her familiarity with the Boasian corpus enables her to breathe life into the often-dry primary works under scrutiny and provide a convincing genealogy of anthropological theories of and approaches to culture, language, history, psychology, and biography. . . . This book is chockfull of insight. Highly recommended for academic libraries."-Library Journal (Library Journal )

"Invisible Genealogies provides insights into how issues generated within anthropological discourse have coloured the ways in which First Nations in British Columbia and elsewhere in North America are represented. As such, it provides a glimpse into the intimate connection between a chosen intellectual orientation and what gets emphasized in anthropological discussion."-Michael Asch, BC Studies: The British Columbian Quarterly (Michael Asch BC Studies: The British Columbian Quarterly ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.