AAA Book Citations
Learn to cite anthropology texts, ethnographies, and cultural studies using the American Anthropological Association (AAA) style guidelines.
AAA Book Citation Format
The American Anthropological Association (AAA) style uses a distinctive author-date citation system with specific formatting requirements for anthropological literature.
Standard Format:
Author, First Name
Year Title of Book. City: Publisher.
Anthropological Literature
Classic Ethnography:
Geertz, Clifford
2023 The Interpretation of Cultures: Selected Essays. Updated ed. New York: Basic Books.
In-text citation: Symbolic interpretation remains central to anthropological analysis (Geertz 2023).
Contemporary Ethnography:
Abu-Lughod, Lila
2023 Veiled Sentiments: Honor and Poetry in a Bedouin Society. 3rd ed. Berkeley: University of California Press.
In-text citation: Contemporary fieldwork challenges traditional ethnographic approaches (Abu-Lughod 2023).
Collaborative Ethnography:
Lassiter, Luke Eric, Hurley Goodall, Elizabeth Campbell, and Michelle Natasya Johnson
2023 The Other Side of Middletown: Exploring Muncie's African American Community. 2nd ed. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press.
In-text citation: Community collaboration enhances ethnographic research (Lassiter et al. 2023).
Cultural Studies and Theory
Anthropological Theory:
Marcus, George E. and Michael M. J. Fischer
2023 Anthropology as Cultural Critique: An Experimental Moment in the Human Sciences. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Cultural Analysis:
Ortner, Sherry B.
2023 Theory in Anthropology since the Sixties. Updated ed. Durham: Duke University Press.
Postcolonial Anthropology:
Said, Edward W.
2023 Orientalism. 45th anniversary ed. New York: Vintage Books.
Book Chapters and Edited Volumes
Chapter in Edited Volume:
Rosaldo, Renato
2023 Grief and a Headhunter's Rage. In Writing Culture: The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography, James Clifford and George E. Marcus, eds. Pp. 167-178. 2nd ed. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Chapter by Different Authors:
Behar, Ruth and Deborah A. Gordon
2023 Women Writing Culture: Another Telling of the Story of American Anthropology. In Women Writing Culture, Ruth Behar and Deborah A. Gordon, eds. Pp. 1-29. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Archaeological and Linguistic Works
Archaeological Text:
Hodder, Ian
2023 The Interpretation of Archaeological Materials. 4th ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Linguistic Anthropology:
Duranti, Alessandro
2023 Linguistic Anthropology: A Reader. 3rd ed. Malden: Blackwell Publishing.
Biological Anthropology:
Fuentes, Agustín
2023 Race, Monogamy, and Other Lies They Told You: Busting Myths about Human Nature. 2nd ed. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Electronic and Digital Sources
E-book with DOI:
Appadurai, Arjun
2023 Modernity at Large: Cultural Dimensions of Globalization. 2nd ed. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. DOI: 10.5749/minnesota/9780816627929.001.0001
Online Anthropological Resource:
Fischer, Michael M. J.
2023 Emergent Forms of Life and the Anthropological Voice. Durham: Duke University Press. Electronic document, https://www.dukeupress.edu/emergent-forms-of-life-and-the-anthropological-voice, accessed March 15, 2023.
Open Access Publication:
Tsing, Anna Lowenhaupt
2023 The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Electronic document, https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691220550/the-mushroom-at-the-end-of-the-world, accessed March 20, 2023.
AAA Book Citation Guidelines
Unique AAA Format:
AAA style requires a distinctive hanging indent with the year on a separate line, aligned with the author's name. This format distinguishes AAA style from other citation systems.
Author Name Conventions:
Use full first and middle names when available. List authors in the order they appear on the publication, using the same line-by-line format for all authors.
Title Formatting:
Italicize book titles and use title case capitalization. Subtitles should be separated by a colon and also italicized.
Edition Information:
Include edition information when available and when it's not the first edition. Use standard abbreviations: 2nd ed., 3rd ed., etc.
Anthropological Literature Standards:
When selecting anthropological sources, consider:
- Ethnographic methodology and fieldwork quality
- Ethical considerations in research and representation
- Cultural sensitivity and reflexivity
- Community collaboration and consent processes
- Theoretical contributions to anthropological knowledge
- Interdisciplinary relevance and impact
Page Numbers for Chapters:
When citing book chapters, use "Pp." before page ranges (e.g., Pp. 167-178). Include specific page ranges to help readers locate exact content.
Electronic Access:
For online sources, include "Electronic document" followed by the URL and access date. This acknowledges the digital nature of contemporary anthropological resources.
Collaborative and Community-Based Work:
Anthropology increasingly emphasizes collaborative research. When citing community-based or participatory research, acknowledge all contributors and respect community intellectual property.