Clash of cultures

In Europe it was called the Age of Discovery. To the rest of the world, it often meant slavery, epidemic disease, cultural genocide, and wholesale social and economic changes. What happened in the period when Europe first came in contact with the rest of the world? In this new edition of Brian Fagan's Clash of Cultures, the best-selling author offers a series of fascinating cases on the impact of cultural contact, including cultures such as those of the Huron fur traders, South African Khoi Khoi, Tahitians, Japanese, and Aztecs. Each case provides a description of the pre-European culture, the short-term impacts of European contact, and long-term changes caused by the clash of two cultures. Fagan also explores the many advances in the general literature on this period such as the people without history, world systems analysis, and the debate over Captain Cook. Ideal for courses in cultural anthropology, world history, historical archaeology, ethnic studies, or area studies, as well as for the general reader. Author Biography: Brian Fagn is professor of anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a well-known writer and lecturer on archaeology. He has written several widely used textbooks, and a number of popular books. Clash of Cultures, Second Edition, is a captivating exploration of the Age of Discovery, when Western civilization first came into contact - and conflict - with all the other peoples of the world. Internationally known archeologist Brian Fagan draws on original sources and scholarly writing from dozens of academic disciplines to chart the tragic effects of first contact, illuminating the resulting racism, ethnocentrism, and ever-growing chasm between industrial nations and traditional societies. This seminal book includes case studies covering a wide variety of societies, including the Khoikhoi of South Africa, the Aztecs of Mexico, and the Tahitians. Special attention is paid to the Hurons of Canada, the natives of the American Northwest, and the Tasmanians and Maori of New Zealand. The second edition includes a new introduction, chapters on early Japan and the effects of epidemic disease, and a revised guide to further reading. Clash of Cultures is an ideal text for students studying the background of the modern world.