About the Author

Geoffrey Samuel is a specialist in the anthropology of Buddhist societies, particularly those of the Tibet and the Himalayas. He has also researched and published on anthropological theory, medical anthropology, ethnomusicology, and new rigious movements in Western societies. He has worked at the university of Newcastle, Australia where he is currently Professor of Anthropology, since 1978, with the exception of three years as Professor of Religious Studies at Lancaster University.