Appetites and Identities is a clear, inviting and fascinating introduction to the social anthropology of western Europe. It covers food, migration, politics, urban and country life, magic, religion, sex and language in an accessible and straightforward fashion, introducing the student to aspects of the anthropology of contemporary European culture from mussel farmers in the Netherlands to Basque chambermaids in Lourdes, and from unhappy bachelors in western Ireland to unwitchers in Portugal.
Avoiding the technical language of many anthropological textbooks, Appetites and Identities sets out the anthropological literature on the rich diversity of dialects, cultures and everyday lives of western European people, offering fascinating insights on how each region and community differs from its counterparts despite the notion of an integrated Europe. The book will stimulate curiosity about social anthropological investigation, and about life in Europe today.

Sara Delamont is the Reader in Sociology at the University of Wales, Cardiff. Her previous books include Knowledgeable Women and Fieldwork in Educational Settings

1 Travellers on a hill: introduction to the social anthropology of western Europe 2 The golden oranges: food, appetites and identity 3 The vines that trail: farming and fishing in western Europe 4 The trampled garden: invasion, refugees, migrants and tourists 5 The smokeless homes: peripheral regions in western Europe 6 Towns with towers: the city as symbol and the neighbourhood as home 7 And with great lies: politics, patronage and leadership 8 Turned in prayer: religion, magic, science and the supernatural 9 The gossips of the town: sex and gender in contemporary Europe 10 All Babel tongues: language and identity in Europe 11 Ringed with a lake of fire: conclusions