The second edition of Why the World Needs Anthropologists (Routledge, September 2025) poses the question: Why does the world need anthropology and anthropologists more than ever? 

Editors Carla Guerrón Montero, professor of anthropology and director of the Center for Material Culture Studies at the University of Delaware, and Dan Podjed, associate professor at the University of Ljubljana, bring together prominent academic, practicing and applied anthropologists to answer this provocative question. This new edition advocates a proactive and ethically engaged discipline that not only observes societal transformations but also contributes to solving the most pressing global issues. 

It proposes that anthropology must be at the front and center of the solving table. In an accessible and appealing style, each author explores anthropology’s social value and practical applications. Contributors share their career paths and how they use their anthropological skills and knowledge outside academia. They also provide specific suggestions to anthropologists and the public on how anthropology can offer powerful insights and solutions in complex and unpredictable times. 

Each chapter includes a list of recommendations – DOs and DON'Ts – from the authors. With such practical resources, this book is a toolkit to harness anthropology's full potential. This one-of-a-kind volume is essential reading for fledgling and established anthropologists, social scientists and the general public.