BA Social Anthropology

If you’re an imaginative, critical thinker who wants to understand why the world is as it is, our BA Social Anthropology is the perfect choice.

You’ll examine the variable and universal aspects of human culture and society and the political, economic, family, and religious systems that influence people’s beliefs, values and practices. At every stage, we’ll encourage you to look at the world in new ways and challenge your own perceptions.

Rated the top anthropology department in the UK for research, LSE has pioneered anthropology fieldwork methodologies used worldwide. The programme provides full training in anthropological research methods and you’ll complete an in-depth ethnographic study.

You can take part in our Summer fieldwork projects scheme and apply to spend a year abroad with one of our global partners. All students have the option to add a language specialism to their degree – see the "Programme content" section for details.

If you wish to gain further insight into social anthropology, we suggest that you look at one or more of the following books. The general introductory texts will allow you to get a sense of the discipline's coverage, while the ethnographies will allow you to dig deeper into specific isues and give you a flavour of the primary materials you will be engaging with during your degree. We have offered a wide selection to allow you to choose texts that mesh closely with your personal interests.

General introductions to anthropology

• R Astuti, J Parry and C Stafford (eds) Questions of Anthropology (Berg, 2007)
• M Engelke Think Like an Anthropologist (Pelican 2017)
• C Geertz The Interpretation of Cultures: selected essays (Basic Books, 1973)

Ethnographies

Gender, poetry and emotions:

• L Abu-Lughod Veiled sentiments: honor and poetry in a Bedouin society (University of California Press, 1986)

Cyber-ethnography, the virtual:

• T Boellstorff Coming of Age in Second Life: an anthropologist explores the virtually human (Princeton University Press, 2008).

Gender, sexuality:

• S G Davies Challenging Gender Norms: five genders among the Bugis in Indonesia (Thomson Wadsworth, 2007)

Hunter-gatherers, shamanism, cosmology:

• P Descola The Spears of Twilight: life and death in the amazon jungle (The New Press, 1998)

Race, education and achievement:

• S Fordham Blacked Out: dilemmas of race, identity and success at capital high (University of Chicago Press. 1996)

Economics, globalisation:

• R J Foster Coca-Globalization: following soft drinks from New York to New Guinea (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008)

Medical ethics, law, feminism:

• F Ginsburg Contested Lives: the abortion debate in an American community (University of California Press, 1998)

War, anti-colonialism/nationalism, religion:

• D Lan Guns and Rain: guerillas and spirit mediums in Zimbabwe (University of California Press, 1985)

Postcolonialism, exchange, modernity:

• C Piot Remotely Global: village modernity in West Africa (University of Chicago Press, 1999)

Christianity, morality, conversion:

• J Robbins Becoming Sinners: christianity and moral torment in a Papua New Guinea society (University of California Press, 2004)