Listen free for 30 days
-
Peoples and Cultures of the World
- Narrated by: Edward Fischer
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for £33.89
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Foundations of Western Civilization
- By: Thomas F. X. Noble, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Thomas F. X. Noble
- Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.
-
-
Loved it - I'll be ordering more
- By First Impressions on 21-09-16
-
Effective Research Methods for Any Project
- By: Amanda M. Rosen, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Amanda M. Rosen
- Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We rely on effective research in many areas of life, and at times our lives even depend on it. But what is it that makes research effective? Any good research rests upon, above all else, method. In these 24 dynamic lectures, you’ll discover the remarkable procedures and techniques that make research such a powerful tool. This brilliantly conceived course gives you a deep, detailed, and practical guide to proper research methods - methods that are broadly applicable to all kinds of research.
-
-
Excellent introduction to research methods
- By Falco28 on 05-11-20
-
Food: A Cultural Culinary History
- By: Ken Albala, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ken Albala
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."
-
-
Oh, dear, poor America!
- By Amazon Customer on 19-11-16
-
Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior
- By: Mark Leary, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark Leary
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every day of your life is spent surrounded by mysteries that involve what appear to be rather ordinary human behaviors. What makes you happy? Where did your personality come from? Why do you have trouble controlling certain behaviors? Why do you behave differently as an adult than you did as an adolescent?Since the start of recorded history, and probably even before, people have been interested in answering questions about why we behave the way we do.
-
-
Some useful lectures
- By Sina Madani on 27-03-18
-
The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition
- By: Daniel N. Robinson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Daniel N. Robinson
- Length: 30 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Grasp the important ideas that have served as the backbone of philosophy across the ages with this extraordinary 60-lecture series. This is your opportunity to explore the enormous range of philosophical perspectives and ponder the most important and enduring of human questions-without spending your life poring over dense philosophical texts.
-
-
Religion tainted
- By Film Noir on 11-06-17
-
Ancient Mesopotamia
- Life in the Cradle of Civilization
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Amanda H. Podany PhD
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mesopotamia is the ancient name for the region that is now Iraq, a remarkably advanced civilization that flourished for two-thirds of the time that civilization has existed on Earth. Mesopotamians mastered irrigation agriculture; built the first complex urban societies; developed writing, literature, and law; and united vast regions through warfare and diplomacy. While civilizations like Greece and Rome have an unbroken tradition of written histories, the rich history of Mesopotamia has only been recently rediscovered, thanks to the decipherment of Mesopotamia's cuneiform writing less than 200 years ago.
-
-
Excellent - I've learnt so much
- By Happy Shopper on 04-08-18
-
The Foundations of Western Civilization
- By: Thomas F. X. Noble, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Thomas F. X. Noble
- Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.
-
-
Loved it - I'll be ordering more
- By First Impressions on 21-09-16
-
Effective Research Methods for Any Project
- By: Amanda M. Rosen, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Amanda M. Rosen
- Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We rely on effective research in many areas of life, and at times our lives even depend on it. But what is it that makes research effective? Any good research rests upon, above all else, method. In these 24 dynamic lectures, you’ll discover the remarkable procedures and techniques that make research such a powerful tool. This brilliantly conceived course gives you a deep, detailed, and practical guide to proper research methods - methods that are broadly applicable to all kinds of research.
-
-
Excellent introduction to research methods
- By Falco28 on 05-11-20
-
Food: A Cultural Culinary History
- By: Ken Albala, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ken Albala
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."
-
-
Oh, dear, poor America!
- By Amazon Customer on 19-11-16
-
Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior
- By: Mark Leary, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark Leary
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every day of your life is spent surrounded by mysteries that involve what appear to be rather ordinary human behaviors. What makes you happy? Where did your personality come from? Why do you have trouble controlling certain behaviors? Why do you behave differently as an adult than you did as an adolescent?Since the start of recorded history, and probably even before, people have been interested in answering questions about why we behave the way we do.
-
-
Some useful lectures
- By Sina Madani on 27-03-18
-
The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition
- By: Daniel N. Robinson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Daniel N. Robinson
- Length: 30 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Grasp the important ideas that have served as the backbone of philosophy across the ages with this extraordinary 60-lecture series. This is your opportunity to explore the enormous range of philosophical perspectives and ponder the most important and enduring of human questions-without spending your life poring over dense philosophical texts.
-
-
Religion tainted
- By Film Noir on 11-06-17
-
Ancient Mesopotamia
- Life in the Cradle of Civilization
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Amanda H. Podany PhD
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mesopotamia is the ancient name for the region that is now Iraq, a remarkably advanced civilization that flourished for two-thirds of the time that civilization has existed on Earth. Mesopotamians mastered irrigation agriculture; built the first complex urban societies; developed writing, literature, and law; and united vast regions through warfare and diplomacy. While civilizations like Greece and Rome have an unbroken tradition of written histories, the rich history of Mesopotamia has only been recently rediscovered, thanks to the decipherment of Mesopotamia's cuneiform writing less than 200 years ago.
-
-
Excellent - I've learnt so much
- By Happy Shopper on 04-08-18
-
The Mongol Empire
- By: Craig Benjamin, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Craig Benjamin
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Mongol Empire was the largest empire the world has ever seen, forged by conquests across Eurasia in the 13th and 14th centuries. Yet despite the unparalleled brutality of the Mongols, they played a key role in launching civilization’s evolution into the modern world. In 24 half-hour lectures delivered by award-winning teacher and historian Craig Benjamin of Grand Valley State University, explore the paradox of the Mongols’ extreme barbarity combined with their enlightened religious attitudes and respect for high civilization, in The Mongol Empire.
-
-
Superb work!
- By Dennis Sommers on 03-11-21
-
The Sense of Style
- The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century
- By: Steven Pinker
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bad writing can't be blamed on the internet or on 'the kids today'. Good writing has always been hard: a performance requiring pretence, empathy and a drive for coherence. In The Sense of Style, cognitive scientist and linguist Steven Pinker uses the latest scientific insights to bring us a style and usage guide for the 21st century.
-
-
The only grammar book I stuck to all the way
- By Marie Čechová on 22-11-19
-
Sapiens
- By: Yuval Noah Harari
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 15 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Earth is 4.5 billion years old. In just a fraction of that time, one species among countless others has conquered it. Us. We are the most advanced and most destructive animals ever to have lived. What makes us brilliant? What makes us deadly? What makes us sapiens? In this bold and provocative audiobook, Yuval Noah Harari explores who we are, how we got here, and where we're going.
-
-
Thought provoking but overconfident
- By Jan W. H. Schnupp on 24-09-15
-
What the F
- What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves
- By: Benjamin K. Bergen
- Narrated by: Benjamin K. Bergen
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nearly everyone swears - whether it's over a few too many drinks, in reaction to a stubbed toe, or in flagrante delicto. And yet we sit idly by as words are banned from television and censored in books. We insist that people excise profanity from their vocabularies, and we punish children for yelling the very same dirty words that we'll mutter in relief seconds after they fall asleep. Swearing, it seems, is an intimate part of us that we have decided to selectively deny.
-
-
Loved it.
- By Amazon Customer on 15-01-19
-
12 Rules for Life
- An Antidote to Chaos
- By: Jordan B. Peterson
- Narrated by: Jordan B. Peterson
- Length: 15 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson has influenced the modern understanding of personality, and now he has become one of the world's most popular public thinkers, with his lectures on topics from the Bible to romantic relationships to mythology drawing tens of millions of viewers. In an era of unprecedented change and polarising politics, his frank and refreshing message about the value of individual responsibility and ancient wisdom has resonated around the world. In this audiobook, he provides 12 profound and practical principles for how to live a meaningful life.
-
-
Should come with warning - Contains Religion
- By James Cartwright on 06-02-18
-
A Short History of Nearly Everything
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 18 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Short History of Nearly Everything is Bill Bryson's fascinating and humorous quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization. He takes subjects that normally bore the pants off most of us, like geology, chemistry, and particle physics, and aims to render them comprehensible to people who have never thought they could be interested in science. In the company of some extraordinary scientists, Bill Bryson reveals the world in a way most of us have never seen it before.
-
-
A short Review of Nearly Everything
- By Roy on 08-08-05
-
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
- By: Yuval Noah Harari
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sapiens showed us where we came from. Homo Deus looked to the future. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century explores the present. How can we protect ourselves from nuclear war, ecological cataclysms and technological disruptions? What can we do about the epidemic of fake news or the threat of terrorism? What should we teach our children? Yuval Noah Harari takes us on a thrilling journey through today’s most urgent issues.
-
-
Grow your mind
- By Paul Murphy on 07-09-18
-
Outliers
- The Story of Success
- By: Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this stunning audiobook, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers" - the best and the brightest, the most famous, and the most successful. He asks the question: What makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: That is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing.
-
-
Just so stories
- By Judy Corstjens on 04-08-12
-
A History of the World
- By: Andrew Marr
- Narrated by: Andrew Marr, David Timson
- Length: 26 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the earliest civilizations to the 21st century: a global journey through human history, published alongside a landmark BBC One television series. Our understanding of world history is changing, as new discoveries are made on all the continents and old prejudices are being challenged. In this truly global journey, Andrew Marr revisits some of the traditional epic stories, from classical Greece and Rome to the rise of Napoleon, but surrounds them with less familiar material, from Peru to the Ukraine, China to the Caribbean.
-
-
Awsome, educational and epic work
- By Adisha on 30-10-12
-
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
- By: Jack Weatherford
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis, Jack Weatherford
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Mongol army led by Genghis Khan subjugated more lands and people in 25 years than the Romans did in 400. In nearly every country the Mongols conquered, they brought an unprecedented rise in cultural communication, expanded trade, and a blossoming of civilization.
-
-
An enjoyable hagiography(?)
- By Nik Jewell on 16-05-18
-
Quiet
- The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
- By: Susan Cain
- Narrated by: Kathe Mazur
- Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Our lives are driven by a fact most of us can't name and don't understand: whether we're an introvert or an extrovert. This defines who our friends and lovers are, which careers we choose and whether we blush when we're embarrassed. At least a third of us are on the introverted side. Some of the world's most talented people are introverts. Without them, we wouldn't have the Apple computer, the theory of relativity and Van Gogh's sunflowers.
-
-
Life-changing
- By Trina on 13-04-13
-
The Selfish Gene
- By: Richard Dawkins
- Narrated by: Richard Dawkins, Lalla Ward
- Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Richard Dawkins' brilliant reformulation of the theory of natural selection has the rare distinction of having provoked as much excitement and interest outside the scientific community as within it. His theories have helped change the whole nature of the study of social biology, and have forced thousands to rethink their beliefs about life.
-
-
Great listen
- By Luke Barton on 20-08-11
Summary
As the “science of humanity,” anthropology can help us understand virtually anything about ourselves, from our political and economic systems, to why we get married, to how we decide to buy a particular bottle of wine. This 24-lecture course reveals the extraordinary power of anthropology - and its subspecialty, cultural anthropology - as a tool to understand the world’s varied human societies, including our own.
- Is there such a thing as progress? Are modern nations really happier and better off than “primitive” hunter-gatherer societies?
- How common is cannibalism today? What are the different types of cannibalism, and the beliefs associated with them?
- What’s the difference between a “matriarchal” and a “matrilineal” society? Which is more common among world cultures?
These lectures will immerse you in the world of the Trobriand Islanders of Melanesia; the Yanomamö of the Brazilian Amazon; the Dobe Ju’hoansi or Kung Bushmen of Botswana and Namibia; and other indigenous peoples.
Professor Fischer leads an excursion through cultural practices that often seem, to us, quirky, exotic, and even repulsive - marriages that include as many as 20 husbands, matrilineal societies, magic spirits and witchcraft, cannibalism, and incest - practices that will make you question your assumptions about what is natural, or what is human nature.
As you review these customs, the professor describes the issues that cultural anthropologists face in dealing with them. For example, what should anthropologists do in cases such as female circumcision or ritualized rape, in which customs seriously conflict with our own sense of morality and human rights?
Professor Fischer also applies the lessons of cultural anthropology to our own culture by considering the U.S. economy and consumer behavior. Is our economy really based on rational decision making? If so, why do we eat cattle and pigs, but not horses? Why are we willing to shop around to save $10 on a clock radio, but not on a big-screen TV?
You will grow to appreciate how valuable an understanding of cultural anthropology is in a world of ever-increasing globalization, in which members of even the most remote cultures come into more frequent and more influential contact through international travel, migration, business, and the Internet.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
What listeners say about Peoples and Cultures of the World
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Chris
- 29-09-16
Interesting introduction but too diffuse
This course introduces the four main fields of anthropology - physical, cultural, linguistic and archaeological - before focussing on cultural anthropology for the majority of the lectures.
Topics covered include rites of passage, organisational structures of societies and systems of exchange (gift giving, market economies etc.). The professor takes several societies to which he returns repeatedly - some tribal like the Yanomami and some more familiar like modern Americans - and discusses them with respect to the kinds of anthropological theories that have been developed.
The first two thirds is very interesting, introducing concepts which were completely new to me and well worth learning about. Some of these were quite horrible - rituals in the rites of passage lecture stick out as being particularly disgusting - but always discussed with maturity and explained with reference to cultural models. I think there are important lessons in these lectures for anyone interested in human societies and how varied humans are.
The final third shifts focus substantially to how large societies and their economic systems impact smaller societies. I found this a bit out of nowhere, I certainly did not expect lectures on Marxist theory in an anthropology course (perhaps thats just my ignorance of the subject showing...) and I would really have preferred more lectures just on different cultures and how varied they can be. The final few lectures on how people integrate other cultures into their own just felt a bit wasted - the lecturer was more interested in telling us about how the Japanese integrate McDonalds into their culture by cutting up burgers than he was in telling us why they feel the need to cut up burgers and not eat with their hands.
It's a shame, I'm giving a three stars because I could have just stopped listening after the first two thirds and it would have been a better course. However, the first two thirds are really worth your time.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mario
- 31-08-15
Extremely insightful and well presented
Great build up, well explained and generally entertaining. Thank you very much for providing this podcast.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- CJFLA
- 06-01-15
Disappointing.
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
The title of this series makes you think the lectures will be interesting. And, to a degree, they are. However, they deal with "out of the way" cultures that affect very few of us, and do not cover the scope of humanity. There is nothing of consequence discussed of the world's major cultures, just smaller tribes around the globe. While it is somewhat interesting, it really doesn't offer insight into humanity to any degree. Be aware, as well, this is an older series. At one point the author/reader mentions there are 6 billion people on earth (current population is 7.2 billion). Because of this, I feel there may have been more recent discoveries in the field which get no mention in this series of lectures.
19 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 19-11-14
The world is not only made of tribes
Actually the world is made of tribes, but I was left with the feeling that the book was too much focused on small tribes (interesting as they may be... and they are). I was expecting a more overarching perspective of big tribes: modern peoples and nations... it would be more useful.
It was a good anthropological exercise though...
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- A. Smith
- 07-02-14
Interesting
Would you listen to Peoples and Cultures of the World again? Why?
I would like to hear these lectures again. Professor Fischer describes the culture and habits of peoples all over the globe. I loved that he guided us through the lives of those in remote villages and people who are rarely studied. These lectures were really enjoyable.
What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
I think for me, when he explained why cannibals think we are wrong and wasteful when we bury (instead of eat) our dead he was most compelling because it helped me to see them as humans with reasons for their actions. I never understood the "why" behind what they do. He has a way of teaching delicate subjects in an academic manner, so the listener can accept the information easier. He told stories of peoples so dramatically different than traditional Americans, I found it very interesting. I also learned that acts that can seem barbaric to us are seen in a very different light by others.
Have you listened to any of Professor Edward Fischer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I have not, but would like to hear a sequel.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, I think it is too long for that, but I did listen to one a day and really looked forward to each one.
Any additional comments?
Really fascinating, many good lessons on human nature. I enjoyed it very much.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Marjee
- 19-11-14
Great refresher
I've skimmed many of the topics covered in this lecture during my graduate school days, but Professor Fischer's passion for this topic enhanced my understanding of the cultures mentioned here and his framing of Anthropology as a discipline added enormously to my understanding of the subject matter. Listening to this course gave me exactly what I had hoped for: a fascinating, globe-trotting escape into the lives of other people I will never meet and an opportunity to marvel at our shared, human experiences.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jon M. Wilson
- 03-05-16
Facinating
I've listened to many of the Great Courses-- and this one tanks very near the top. I've never studied Sociology or Anthropology-- but I found these lectures insightful, interesting, and engaging. Highly recommend!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 28-04-18
Informative
It was an informative lecture with some interesting chapters, but it focused more on indigenous groups and tribes rather than national culture.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- A. Yoshida
- 19-03-16
Good Introduction to Anthropology
This book offers a good introduction to anthropology, which is a combination of many studies like humanities, social science, economics, and political systems. It is interesting to learn the cultural practices and beliefs of other societies, such as family lineage traced through the mother side (not the father side), some hunter-gather tribes working abut 20 hours a week to get their food (probably happier than our "modern" societies), and the practice of polygamy (multiple wives as well as multiple husbands). The only downside is the few chapters about obscure tribes and the minutiae of their everyday tribal life.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- VICTORIA
- 05-01-16
Best Antropological course ever.
What made the experience of listening to Peoples and Cultures of the World the most enjoyable?
I have a degree in Anthropology and stay current on theory. This course is so interesting and fun. I loved the professor's lectures, he makes the material relevant and engaging.
I highly recommend this course.
Have you listened to any of Professor Edward Fischer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
no, this is the only one
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
all the lectures were great
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Donna
- 03-06-15
A fresh and engaging look many cultures
What did you love best about Peoples and Cultures of the World?
I was totally engaged in the process and went back to listen again and again. With each listening I was learning new material
What was one of the most memorable moments of Peoples and Cultures of the World?
; coming of age stories
challenged views of maternal instinct, how language tells so much about our culture
Any additional comments?
is there a part two and a part three to this course? Would love to take it!!
Thank you for a great and successful effort.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Gregala
- 12-10-22
Bait and switch
The first half of so of the lectures are what was expected -- a generally interesting overview of peoples and customs across the world, and a description of the work and types of anthrologists. Then we get way too much inside baseball regarding the Yanamamo studies, which was mildly annoying, but okay. But the last third of the lectures veer wildly off course to delve into the minutiae of Marxist theory and this guy's attacks on "globalism." While I agree with some points, this section is almost wholly disconnected from the rest, not to mention the subject promised. Weird!