Research Guides: *Anthropology: Find Background Information

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Subjects: Anthropology, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx Studies, Sociology, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Encyclopedias and other reference works can help you to gain an overview of your topic and to understand anthropological terminology and methods. Annotated bibliographies and review articles can help you to tap into the conversation happening among anthropologists and other scholars.

Encyclopedias

The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology by Hilary Callan
Publication Date: 2018, updated continuously
Contains overview articles of major concepts, research, and techniques in anthropology. Sample topics include "digital anthropology," "archaeology and paleoanthropology," and "health, illness, and health care."

The Open Encyclopedia of Anthropology
The Open Encyclopedia of Anthropology (formerly Cambridge Encyclopedia of Anthropology) is a growing teaching and learning resource. Its goal is to facilitate access to scholarship in Social Anthropology for experts and non-experts worldwide. All entries are written and peer-reviewed by leading academics.

The SAGE Handbook of Cultural Anthropology by Lene Pedersen & Lisa Cliggett (Editors)
Publication Date: 2021
Read about the major specialities within cultural anthropology, as well as key interdisciplinary themes relevant to the field.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Linguistics by Mark Aronoff (Ed.)
Get a scholarly overview of topics within the field of linguistics, such as conversation analysis, world Englishes, and language revitalization. This encyclopedia is continuously updated; new articles appear all the time.
The Oxford Handbook of Language and Race by H. Samy Alim, Angela Reyes, Paul V. Kroskrity (Eds)
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2020
Explores language and race from a linguistic anthropological perspective.
The Oxford Handbook of Language and Sexuality by Kira Hall & Rusty Barrett (Eds.)
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2018-2023
Comprehensive articles on aspects of language and sexuality, written by scholars.

Annotated Bibliographies

Oxford Bibliographies This link opens in a new window
Start your research with this collection of annotated bibliographies. Each provides a brief overview of a topic, followed by a list of recommended books, articles, and other sources. From Afrofuturism (Literary and Critical Theory) to the Zapatista Rebellion in Chiapas (Latin American Studies), get connected to key scholarship and primary sources to support your research.

Review Articles

Annual Review of Anthropology
Annual Reviews publish comprehensive literature reviews designed to get you up to date on the current research on your topic.

Other Data Sources and Repositories

Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) This link opens in a new window
ICPSR is the world's largest collection of digital social science data. Find qualitative and quantitative datasets, accompanying codebooks, publication lists and more. Formats include SPSS, Stata and Excel. Access to this resource from off campus requires that users initially register for an account while on campus.

Working/studying remotely? Request access to ICPSR data and resources by contacting icpsr-help@umich.edu. When you do, please let them know that you are a current student, faculty, or staff member at Brandeis University, and be sure to use your @brandeis.edu email address.

Qualitative Data Repository
A dedicated archive for storing and sharing digital data (and accompanying documentation) generated or collected through qualitative and multi-method research in the social sciences.

Open Textbooks

Perspectives: An Open Invitation to Cultural Anthropology
Each chapter provides an introduction to an essential topic in cultural anthropology. This peer-reviewed, open textbook was produced under the auspices of the American Anthropological Association.