Search

Anthropology

This guide presents a selection of basic resources in the field of anthropology. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary anthropological topics and broad scope of the field, researchers are encouraged to consult the Library Subject Guide webpage for a complete list of additional Research Guides.

Librarian for Anthropology

Timothy Johnson
Librarian for Africana Studies, Anthropology and Food Studies
New York University
Bobst Library, Mezzanine
70 Washington Square So.
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 998-2436
E-mail: timothy.johnson@nyu.edu

Related Subject Guides

Research Assistance

Internet Links

  1. Cultural Survival
  2. Consortium of Practicing and Applied Anthropology Programs (COPAA)
  4. Public Anthropology
  5. Survival International
  6. Social, Cultural, and Visual Anthropology Resources
  1. African American Archaeology Resource Links
  2. African Archaeology
  3. African Diaspora Archaeology Network and Newsletter
  4. American Academy in Rome
  5. www.archaeologyfieldwork.com
  6. The Archaeology Channel
  7. ArchNet
  8. The Prehistoric Society
  9. The Society for Historical Archeology
  10. The Society for Industrial Archeology

Related Links at NYU

Research Resources and Bibliographies

  • American Anthropological Association. Abstracts of the Annual Meeting. Washington, DC: American Anthropological Association, 1978 - present.
    Bobst GN3 .A37a
    Abstracts of papers presented at the annual meeting of the AAA. Recent issues are kept in the current periodical room on the 3rd floor of Bobst Library.
  • Annual Review of Anthropology. Palo Alto, CA: Annual Reviews Inc., 1972 - present.
    For the full text from 1972 to the present:
    Annual Review of Anthropology via Annual Reviews.
    For the full text between 1972 and 5 years prior to the present date:
    Annual Review of Anthropology via JSTOR.
    (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/databases.html)
    Scholarly literature review essays ranging from current topics to classic subjects, all with extensive bibliographies. (Earlier title: Biennial Review of Anthropology, 1959-1971, see below)
  • Biennial Review of Anthropology.
    JSTOR coverage: Vols. 1-7, 1959-1971
    (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/databases.html)
  • Bibliographic Guide to Anthropology and Archaeology. Boston: G.K. Hall & Co., 1987-1989 & 1991.
    Bobst REF1 Z5111 .B47
    Annual bibliography of new books in the field. For records of early books see the Tozzer Library Catalog listed below under Indexes and Abstracts.
  • Dutton, Lee S., ed. Anthropological Resources: A Guide to Archival, Library and Museum Collections. New York: Garland Publishing, 1999.
    Bobst REF1 GN14 .A77 1999
    Guide to fieldnotes, site reports, manuscripts, sound recordings, visual materials, and other documents held in archives, libraries and museums worldwide (though focused on the United States).
  • International Committee for Social Sciences Documentation. International Bibliography of Social and Cultural Anthropology. Paris: UNESCO, 1984-1988, 1990, 1992-1996.
    New School Reference Z5111 .I55
    An annual subject index to journal articles and books with good international coverage.
  • Kibbee, Josephine Z. Cultural Anthropology: A Guide to Reference and Information Sources. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited Inc., 1991.
    Bobst Z5111 .K53 1991 Non-circulating
    Survey of major reference books and resources in all four subfields of anthropology, as well as related subjects such as folklore, museum studies, and area studies. Includes guide to organizations, libraries and publishers.
  • Weeks, John M. Introduction to Library Research in Anthropology. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1998. 2nd ed.
    Bobst REF1 Z5111 .W44 1997
    Includes guides to archive and manuscript collections, subject and regional bibliographies, guides to anthropological films and photography, and a list of major anthropology collections in US and Canadian libraries.
  • Westerman, R.C. Fieldwork in the Library: A Guide to Research in Anthropology and Related Area Studies. Chicago: American Library Association, 1994.
    Bobst REF1 Z5111 .W47 1994
    Subject guide to major reference works and bibliographies in all four subfields of anthropology and in area studies.

Biographical Sources

  • American Anthropological Association AAA Guide : A Guide to Departments, A Directory of Members. Washington, DC: American Anthropological Association. (annual)
    Bobst REF1 GN43.A2 A4
    URL: http:/www.aaanet.org/
    Check out the AAA homepage for conference information.
  • Gacs, Ute et al. Women Anthropologists: A Biographical Dictionary. New York: Greenwood Press, 1988.
    Bobst GN20 .W63 1988
    Lengthy biographies of women, with a bibliography by and about their work.
  • Murray, Tim, ed. Encyclopedia of Archaeology. The Great Archaeologists. Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO, 1999.
    Bobst CC110 .E54 1999 Non-circulating
    Biographical essays on prominent archaeologists, 16th century to present; illustrations, bibliographies with each essay.
  • Winters, Christopher, ed. International Dictionary of Anthropologists. New York: Garland, 1991.
    Bobst REF1 GN20 .I52 1991
    Substantial biographies with bibliographic references to over 500 anthropologists born before 1920, from over 50 countries. Also includes entries for academics, travelers, colonial administrators, and missionaries.

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

1. ENCYCLOPEDIAS AND DICTIONARIES: GENERAL

  • Birx, H. James, ed. Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2006. 5 vol.
    Bobst REF1 GN11 .E63 2006 Non-circulating
    Available electronically in the Gale Virtual Reference Library (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html)
    A general introduction for students to all four subfields of anthropology. Also includes relevant multidisciplinary topics. Full-color volumes in a large, encyclopedia format. Signed entries with brief bibliographies.
  • Ingold, Tim. Companion Encyclopedia of Anthropology. New York: Routledge, 1994.
    Bobst REF1 GN25 .C65 1994
    Handbook format, offers scholarly articles on contemporary thinking in biological, cultural and social anthropology. Each essay has a detailed bibliography and suggestions for further reading.
  • Sills, David L. ed. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. New York: MacMillan, 1968. 17 vol.
    Bobst REF1 H40.A2 I5
    Still valuable, despite the publication date. Lengthy, scholarly articles with bibliographies on key topics such as "kinship" or "exchange". Also useful for biographies of older, well-known anthropologists such as Levi-Strauss, Fraser, Boas, etc.

 2.  ENCYCLOPEDIAS: LINGUISTIC ANTHROPOLOGY

  • Brown, Keith, ed. Encyclopedia of Language & Linguistics. Amsterdam/Boston: Elsevier, 2006. 14 vol.
    Bobst REF1 P29 .E48 2006 Non-circulating
    International coverage, intended for the student and professional. Signed encyclopedia entries with references. Biographies and glossary also included.
  • Crystal, David. A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2003.
    Bobst REF1 P29 .C65 2003 Non-circulating
    This comprehensive dictionary provides an introduction to linguistic terminology. Includes phonetic alphabet chart.
  • Frawley, William J., ed. International Encyclopedia of Linguistics. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. 2nd ed. 4 vol.
    Bobst REF1 P29 .I58 2003 Non-circulating
    Available electronically from Oxford Reference Online (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html)
    Encompasses the full range of topics in linguistics, including many subfields. Special attention is given to relations of linguistics with other disciplines. Signed, illustrated entries with bibliographies.
  • Matthews, P. H. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
    Bobst REF1 P29 .M34 1997 Non-circulating
    Available electronically along with a 2003 supplement from Oxford Reference Online (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html)
    Succint entries covering the whole field of linguistics. Intended for the student or professional.
  • Strazny, Philip, ed. Encyclopedia of Linguistics New York: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2005. 2 vol.
    Bobst REF1 P29 .E483 2005 Non-circulating
    Provides a general introduction to linguistic topics. Large-format volumes contain signed entries with references. Entries are indexed at the front of the book both alphabetically and thematically.

3. ENCYCLOPEDIAS AND DICTIONARIES: SOCIOCULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

  • Barfield, Thomas, ed. The Dictionary of Anthropology. Oxford/Malden, MA: Blackwell, 1997.
    Bobst REF1 GN307 .D485 1997
    Signed entries, some extensive, on terminology in sociocultural anthropology, with a few entries on archaeology and physical anthropology. Most entries include bibliographic notes and cross references where appropriate.
  • Barnard, Alan and Spencer, Jonathan. Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology. New York: Routledge, 1996.
    Bobst REF1 GN307 .E527 1996
    Pithy entries on concepts, places, and figures, with plenty of references and suggestions for further reading. Includes an appendix with short biographical entries and a glossary of terms. Especially good for contemporary theory.
  • Bolaffi, Guido, et. al, eds. Dictionary of Race, Ethnicity and Culture. London/Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2003.
    Bobst REF1 GN495.6 .D53 2003 Non-circulating
    Concise entries covering contemporary concepts in the multidisciplinary study of race, ethnicity, and culture. Essays are signed and include references.
  • Cashmore, Ellis. Dictionary of Race and Ethnic Relations. 4th ed. London/New York: Routledge, 1996.
    Bobst GN496 .C37 1996 Non-circulating
    Lengthy, signed essays with references on key concepts, and overviews by country and by ethnic/racial groups.
  • Levinson, David, and Ember, Melvin, eds. Encyclopedia of Cultural Anthropology. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996. 4 vol.
    Bobst REF1 GN307.E52 1996
    Lengthy essays with references on key concepts, concerns, and figures. Includes survey articles on heavily studied cultural regions and subfields in cultural anthropology, and a useful appendix of anthropological periodicals.
  • Levinson, David. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1991-1996. 10 vol.
    Bobst REF1 GN550 .E53 1991
    Available electronically along with a 2002 supplement in the Gale Virtual Reference Library (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html)
    Individual volumes cover North America, Oceania, South Asia, Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East, Middle America and the Caribbean, and Russia/Eurasia/China. Summary information on an ethnic or cultural group, with bibliographic references. Useful filmography at the end of each volume.
  • Minority Rights Group, ed. World Directory of Minorities. London: Minority Rights Group International, 1997.
    Bobst REF1 GN495.4 .W67 1997
    Country-by-country demographic, cultural, and political information on ethnic minorities. Many entries include bibliographies and a list of minority organizations.
  • Skutsch, Carl, ed. Encyclopedia of the World's Minorities. New York: Routledge, 2005. 3 vol.
    Bobst GN495.4 .E63 2005
    Signed entries cover nations, groups, topics, and biographies of individuals. Includes references.

4. ENCYCLOPEDIAS AND DICTIONARIES: ARCHAEOLOGY

  • Barker, Graeme, ed. Companion Encyclopedia of Archaeology London/New York: Routledge, 1999. 2 vol.
    Bobst CC70 .C59 1999 Non-circulating
    Signed, article-length, scholarly entries each with references and a bibliography. Organized in three sections: Origins, Aims & Methods; Theories & Approaches; Writing Archaeological History.
  • Darvill, Timothy. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
    Bobst REF1 CC70 .D37 2002 Non-circulating
    Available electronically from Oxford Reference Online (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html)
    Covers the vocabulary for archaeological work, including theories, techniques, materials, and sites. Focuses especially on Europe, the Old World, and the Americas, and covers legislation relating to the United Kingdom and the USA.
  • Ellis, Linda, ed. Archaeological Method and Theory: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Publishing, 2000.
    Bobst REF1 CC75 .A654 2000
    Focuses on archaeological research methods and interpretation, from site formation through the publication of results. Also reviews disciplinary specializations and includes brief biographical information on prominent archaeologists. Signed entries with references.
  • Fagan, Brian M., ed. The Oxford Companion to Archaeology. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.
    Bobst REF1 CC70 .O96 1996 Non-circulating
    Comprehensive coverage of archaeology worldwide, from prehistory to the present. Signed entries with references, as well as maps and timelines in the appendix.
  • Kipfer, Barbara Ann, ed. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Archaeology New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum, 2000.
    Bobst REF1 CC70 .K56 2000 Non-circulating
    Written for professionals and students of all levels. Covers terminology, concepts, and techniques beginning with the first hominids through historical archaeology. Also includes a supplemental list of archaeological sites and terms.
  • Shaw, Ian and Ember, Melvin, ed. A dictionary of archaeology Oxford, UK/Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1999.
    Bobst REF1 CC70 .D53 1999
    Brief, signed entries with references. Worldwide coverage of topics, with the exception of classical and historical archaeology.

5. ENCYCLOPEDIAS AND DICTIONARIES: PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

  • Barrows, Edward M. Animal Behavior Desk Reference; A Dictionary of Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2001.
    Bobst REF9 QL750.3 .B37 2001
    Written for students and professionals, this dictionary provides a review of concise biological terminology. Includes references and an appendix with a hierarchical taxonomy of organisms.
  • Brenner, Sydney, and Miller, Jeffrey H., eds. Encyclopedia of Genetics. San Diego/London: Academic, 2002. 4 vol.
    Bobst REF9 QH427 .E53 2002 Non-circulating
    Available electronically from ScienceDirect (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html)
    Entries span the field to cover all major topics of genetics. Also included are articles on the history of genetics.
  • Cavalli-Sforza, L. Luca; Menozzi, Paolo; and Alberto Piazza. The History and Geography of Human Genes. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1994.
    Bobst REF9 QH431 .C395 1994
    Provides an introduction to concepts in genetics, a brief review of worldwide genetic history, and detailed information on each geographic region of the world. Includes references and maps.
  • Jones, Steve, et. al. Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992.
    Bobst REF1 GN281.C345 1992
    Lengthy, signed chapters on diverse topics relevant to the study of human evolution. Considerable attention is given to the social organization and life of primates, primate genetics and primate evolution. Especially clear presentation of material with ample illustrations. Glossary and suggestions for further reading.
  • Pagel, Mark, ed. Encyclopedia of Evolution. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. 2 vol.
    Bobst REF9 QH360.2 .O83 2002
    Available electronically from Oxford Reference Online (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html)
    Aims to be a comprehensive reference on evolution. Includes overview essays as well as signed entries with references. Large format with many illustrations.
  • Spencer, Frank, ed. History of Physical Anthropology: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Publishing, 1997. 2 volumes.
    Bobst REF1 GN50.3.H57 1997
    Contributors from around the world cover: development of specific areas of scientific inquiry and theory, a description of the discipline's intellectual and institutional development in specific countries throughout the world, and biographical sketches. Signed entries with references and bibliographies.
  • Wolfheim, Jaclyn H. Primates of the World: Distribution, Abundance, and Conservation Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1983.
    Bobst REF9 QL737.P9 W64 1983
    Synthesis of information on nonhuman primates, including distribution maps.

Indexes

  • Abstracts in Anthropology. Westport, CN: Greenwood Press, 1970 - present.
    Bobst REF1 GN1 .A15
    Coverage is more limited than other indexes mentioned, but it includes a summary of the article or book listed; appeared quarterly through 1978, with an annual index beginning in 1979. Issues alternate coverage between Archaeology/Physical Anthropology, and Cultural Anthropology/Linguistics.
  • Museum of Mankind Library. Anthropological Index. London: Royal Anthropological Association.
    Bobst REF1 Z5111 .R671963 & 1966-1967
    Available electronically from Anthropology Plus (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html)
    The print version of this index is arranged by broad geographic area: Africa, the Americas, Australia & Pacific, Europe, then subdivided into the various areas in anthropology: physical, cultural, ethnography, linguistics, and archaeology. The electronic version has coverage from the late 19th century to the present.
  • Tozzer Library. Anthropological Literature. Pleasantville, NY: Redgrave Pub. Co., 1979 - present.
    Bobst REF1 Z5112 .A43x 1979-1983
    Bobst REF6 Micro 39 1984-1988
    Available electronically from Anthropology Plus (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html)
    An index to journal articles, published quarterly with annual additions. Subject index uses modified LC headings with special attention given to accessing articles by geographic area, and ethnic/linguistic group. Vols 1-5, 11 to date are in paper copy; vols 6-10 are in microfiche. The electronic version has coverage from the late 19th century to the present. For references to older articles (and books) see the Tozzer Library catalogue, listed below:
    • Tozzer Library. Author and Subject catalogues of the Tozzer Library: Formerly the Library of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University. 2nd enl. ed. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1988.
      Bobst REF1 Z5119 .H36 1988 (vol. 1-8)
      An index to journal articles and books in anthropology, with references back to the early 1900's. (A tip for those doing historical research: check to see if the journals you are interested in kept their own index to early issues. You may find additional references this way.)
    • Tozzer Library. Tozzer Library Index to Anthropological Subject Headings. 2nd rev ed. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1981.
      Bobst REF1 Z695.1.A63 T69 1980
      To be used with the Tozzer catalogue and also with Anthropological Literature. 
  • 	AnthroSource Current issues of American Anthropological Association's journals and bulletins as well as archived issues of all the AAA's journals, newsletters and bulletins.

Indexes and Abstracts: Related Disciplines

To obtain research guides on related subjects browse the Subject Web Pages (http://library.nyu.edu/research/subjects) or consult the subject guides display near the reference desk.

  • Biological Abstracts
    Philadelphia: Biosciences Information Service.
    Available electronically (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/databases.html)
    Biological Abstracts is a comprehensive reference database covering life sciences journal literature, very useful for research in physical anthropology. The electronic version covers 1926 to the present.
  • Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA)
    La Jolla, CA: Sociological Abstracts, Inc.
    Available electronically (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/databases.html)
    LLBA abstracts and indexes the international literature in linguistics and related disciplines in the language sciences. The database covers all aspects of the study of language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Coverage is from 1973 to the present.
  • Social Sciences Citation Index
    Philadelphia: Institute for Scientific Information.
    Available electronically (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/databases.html)
    SSCI, available electronically as part of ISI Web Of Science, indexes several thousand journals from all areas in the social sciences with good coverage for anthropology. Allows researchers to trace an author's work and to document influence on the works of subsequent authors. Spans 1956 to the present.
  • Sociological Abstracts
    Available electronically (http://library.nyu.edu/collections/databases.html)
    Sociological Abstracts abstracts and indexes the international literature in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. Useful for sociocultural anthropology. Coverage extends from 1952-present.

Tips on Locating Ethnographies

Whenever possible, search directly under the names of individual ethnic groups and peoples as listed in the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). LCSH can be searched in print (Bobst REF1 Z695.Z8 L524a), or online (http://authorities.loc.gov/). The Library of Congress list of ethnic groups and peoples can be found in the LCSH books under the term ETHNOLOGY. For example, there we find both the terms JAPANESE and also AINU.

Researchers may use BobCat to locate book-length ethnographies on a particular culture. A beginning list of works can be obtained by looking under the heading ETHNOLOGY which is then subdivided by geographic area, e.g. ETHNOLOGY-JAPAN. Other subject headings to search are ETHNIC GROUPS or ETHNICITY (which are also subdivided geographically).

Researchers may also wish to try the subheading SOCIAL LIFE AND CUSTOMS added to the name of a group or a place, (e.g., JAPAN - SOCIAL LIFE AND CUSTOMS) to obtain additional references. Another useful subheading is SOCIAL CONDITIONS (e.g., WOMEN - JAPAN - SOCIAL CONDITIONS). Other headings may be useful depending on the culture to be researched.

Another research technique is to begin by looking through a recent bibliography from which you will be able to identify additional sources. The Encyclopedia of World Cultures is generally useful for this purpose.

Log In to OmniUpdate