This article argues that anthropological theory necessarily takes the form of interpretive theory, for in order to understand human affairs it is necessary to understand the cultural systems of meaning that mediate the world that people experience. Even anthropologists who eschew interpretive approaches use them, often unwittingly, and the article analyzes the work of Radcliffe-Brown and Julian Steward to make this point.
It explores the nature of interpretive theory, giving an analysis of a variety of 'families' or types of interpretation that have appeared in the literature. It suggests that we may speak of progress in anthropological theory and indicates how this is achieved, and concludes by proposing that we may also speak of progress in ethnography.
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