"Through his expansive integration of the anthropological literature, Lancy has moved the field forward towards a holistic and unified perspective on children and childhood. I can think of no other work that at once exemplifies such depth and breadth. This visionary focus joins theoretical perspectives heretofore considered disparate in a synthetic framework that redefines the anthropology of childhood." - John Bock, Professor of Anthropology, California State University

"In this work of stunning insight and signal importance, David Lancy frees us from constricted, culture-bound conceptions of childhood, illustrating the extraordinarily diverse forms that children's development has taken. By dismantling narrowly ethnocentric notions of what constitutes a normal childhood, he allows us to envision alternatives to the overpressured, overorganized, overcommercialized world that today's middle-class children inhabit." - Steven Mintz, Columbia University, author of Huck's Raft: A History of American Childhood

"A wonderful, unique, and essential advance in our understanding of humankind. Anyone who cares about children (in fact, anyone who wants to understand their own life and modern society) should read this book." - Alan Fiske, Professor of Anthropology, Director, Center for Culture, Brain, and Development, University of California, Los Angeles

“David Lancy has produced a finely nuanced, beautifully written and comprehensive account of children’s lives and the meanings that adults give to childhood. Delightfully illustrated and drawing on insights from anthropology, psychology, sociology and history his book is essential for anyone interested in cross-cultural studies of childhood.” - Heather Montgomery, Senior Lecturer in Childhood Studies, The Open University.

The Anthropology of Learning in Childhood offers a large, mural-like portrait of childhood across time, culture, species, and environment. Even a casual reading of the literature on childhood will persuade one that learning is a very important topic that commands the attention of tens of thousands of scholars and practitioners. Yet, anthropological research on children has exerted relatively little influence on this community. This book will change that. The book demonstrates that anthropologists studying childhood can offer a description not only a description and but also atheoretically sophisticated account of children’s learning and its role in their development, socialization, and enculturation. Further, it demonstrates the particular contribution that children’s learning makes to the construction of society and culture as well as the role that culture-acquiring children play in human evolution. Chapters have been contributed in archaeology, primatology, biological and cultural anthropology, and cross-cultural psychology.

“The Anthropology of Learning in Childhood shows us how and why we acquire knowledge and understanding of the world. The authors provide excellent overviews of evolutionary perspectives, social processes in learning, the roles of play and work, non-parental teachers, classrooms, and the importance of moral, sociolinguistic, and gender frameworks. The time and context ranges from non-human primates and the Paleolithic, right up to the present. This is a marvelously holistic, landmark book—one of the best books on learning in sociocultural contexts currently available.” —Thomas S. Weisner, University of California, Los Angeles

“This reference volume is a unique contribution to childhood studies. The eminent contributors present the full breadth of anthropological knowledge about children's learning, from historical and cross-cultural studies to evolutionary biology and life-history theory. By leaving out no perspective or condition, the volume presents a synthesis of what anthropologists know about childhood learning. There is something for everyone here--students, teachers, and researchers alike. Nothing like this book currently exists, and it is unlikely to be matched for many years.” —Jane B. Lancaster, University of New Mexico

“David Lancy, John Bock, and Suzanne Gaskins have assembled an outstanding set of essays on what children around the world learn, how they learn it, and the many people involved in that learning. This book will be a valuable resource for students, researchers, educators, and all those interested in a broader cross-cultural perspective on these critical issues for understanding children and childhood.” —Jill E. Korbin, Case Western Reserve University

“A fascinating collection of anthropological accounts of children’s learning in context. From archaeology to evolutionary biology, from primate routines to identity construction, from pottery-making to street crime, this book brings to light the mundane and the extraordinary in children’s experiences of learning culture across time and space. It challenges the reader to focus on the real conditions of contemporary children’s lives.” —Margaret Eisenhart, University of Colorado at Boulder

David F. Lancy is professor of anthropology at Utah State University.
John Bock is professor of anthropology at California State University, Fullerton.
Suzanne Gaskins is professor of psychology at Northeastern Illinois University.

"The most significant and unique feature of Studing Children and Schools: Qualitative Research Tradtions is that the principles of qualitative research are derived inductively - that is, to tease out important techniques, the author reviews dozens of classic studies in the field. With an engaging style, Lancy involves the reader in ethnography, the field study, ethnomethodology, ethology, case studies and personal accounts. An impressive amount of data about children and schools has been gathered and compiled using many varied qualitative methods. By reviewing actual, published studies, the book offers readers dozens of exemplary models on which to base their own studies. The author then provides step-by-step helpful hints for student research, from choosing the problem to be studies, to structuring the final report.