The French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss died last week, a few weeks shy of his 101st birthday. Levi-Strauss was considered "the father of modern anthropology." Beacon Press published English-language translations of two of his books: The Elementary Structures of Kinship (from Les Structures elementaires de la parente, translated by James Harle Bell, John Richard von Sturmer, and Rodney Needham) and Totemism (from Le Totemisme aujourdhui, translated by Rodney Needham), which remains in print today.

At the New York Times Room for Debate, Rashid Khalidi weighs in on the decision of Mahmoud Abbas to step down as leader of the Palestinian authority. "Mahmoud Abbas realized that he could not achieve even minimal Palestinian aspirations in negotiations with Israel after having the rug pulled out from under him twice by his patrons in Washington."

Monday night, Susan Campbell discussed Christian fundamentalism with some Hasidim in New York. "On Sunday, I wold have said we share very little, me and these Jews. Walking to the subway last night... I knew differently."

Newsweek interviews the authors ofHollowing Out the Middle about rural brain drain and revitalizing small towns.

How many doctors write theater reviews? Check out Danielle Ofri's blog post on the new Anna Deveare Smith play, Let Me Down Easy.