The renewal of interest in psychological anthropology has called for a critical appraisal of past schools and approaches as well as an up-to-date review of the literature and evidence from contemporary research. This handbook, the first reference work devoted to this growing field, draws upon the work of distinguished contributors to examine historical, methodological, and critical material related to psychological anthropology.

The volume is organized in two parts. The first is an historical overview of the field from 1920 to the present, outlining the major schools and approaches that have contributed to psychological anthropology. The second part is a series of chapters on research topics and methods, such as child development, dreams, discourse, and the arts, showing the contribution of these topics to our understanding of the relationship between cultural and individual phenomena. The book reflects diverse viewpoints and provides a current treatment of ideas and techniques, critical examinations of research, and extensive bibliographic information.