About the series
Anthropological theory is currently undergoing a period of rapid development. For several decades toward the end of the twentieth century, two broad approaches dominated the field: one centred on culturally specific meanings and the other on the dynamics of power that shape social structures. Today, however, anthropology’s theoretical terrain is no longer so neatly divided. No single paradigm—or even a small set of approaches—holds a central position. Instead, scholars have developed a diverse range of theories, many of them explicitly conceived as “middle‑range” in ambition. These approaches tend to focus on particular domains of social life, leaving room for plurality rather than seeking comprehensive explanation.
Alongside this proliferation of middle‑range theories has emerged renewed interest in two related projects: adapting intellectual developments from other fields for anthropological analysis, and reworking older perspectives from within the discipline itself. This series responds to this creative moment in anthropological thought by publishing state‑of‑the‑art discussions of emerging approaches while also offering authoritative, up‑to‑date engagements with established perspectives that are currently being rethought and renewed.
