One Hundred Years of Argonauts: Malnowski, Ethnography and Economic Anthropology

Malinowski’s Argonauts of the Western Pacific was a major contribution to anthropological theory and method, while simultaneously establishing the sub-field of economic anthropology. Even a century after its publication, Malinowski’s pioneering work remains critical for anthropology in a postcolonial age. This volume uses ethnographic studies from around the world to contextualize the work politically and intellectually, examining its gestation and influence from multiple perspectives. It critically explores the meaning of ＂economy＂ for Malinowski from his formation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire to his path-breaking fieldwork in Melanesia and ensuing career in London.

Deborah James is Professor of Anthropology at London School of Economics. Her book Money from Nothing: Indebtedness and Aspiration in South Africa (Stanford 2015) explores the lived experience of debt for those who attempt to improve their positions (or merely sustain existing livelihoods) in emerging economies.