This companion provides a comprehensive survey of contemporary thinking in biological, social and cultural anthropology. In bringing these three fields together, it establishes their interconnections, and lays the foundations for an integrated perspective on the conditions of human life appropriate to the challenges of the future. In 35 chapters, a selection of the world's leading authorities present their own visions in their different fields and chart out new directions of inquiry. The volume is divided into three parts: "humanity", "culture" and "social life". The first part's emphasis is on human beings as members of a species, how that species differs from others, how it has evolved and how human populations have adapted to and transformed their environments. The second part focuses on the origins and structure of human culture and the role of culture in action, perception and cognition. The third part examines the various aspects of the relationships and processes of social life.