Teaching Levi-Strauss

Claude Levi-Strauss’s mid-twentieth-century work in structural anthropology revolutionized the study ofmyth, kinship, and totemism, with lasting effects in cultural studies generally and especially in religious studies. This book provides an introduction to this revolution through generous excerpts of some of Levi-Strauss’s most important writing on religion. Reactions and responses, both positive and negative, to the revolution are also included, along with some of Levi-Strauss’s replies to his critics. A general introduction by volume editor Hans Penner provides a framework for understanding the historical development and contemporary meaning of structuralism for religious studies. This volume provides an unparalleled resource for teaching about structuralism.