Sarance Editorial No. 26 (2010)

Abstract

The quest to answer the question “What is man?” lies at the heart of anthropological work, which goes beyond the mere study of the lives or lifestyles of specific individuals and communities. While these groups, being subject to spatial and temporal categories, are constantly changing and require ongoing investigation, understanding, and precise analysis, anthropology emerges as a permanent, necessary, and indispensable discipline, particularly in times of cultural homogenization and the widespread standardization of lifestyles. However, reflection on the human condition extends beyond the study of individuals or communities; it seeks to understand the dimensions that are inherent to humanity and to address the “why” of human existence and the “why” of the ways humans live, transcending historical limitations. Within this framework, the Otavalo Institute of Anthropology, as a scientific research center, provides a space in Ecuador’s Northern Sierra for exploring multiple perspectives and areas within anthropological studies. The results of its research projects, approached through diverse methodological and thematic lenses, are published in Revista Sarance, contributing to scientific knowledge and reinforcing anthropological reflection at local, regional, and global levels.