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The David Bidney papers comprise 6.4 cubic feet and span 1930-1974. Organized in four series, the first series, Correspondence, consists of both incoming and outgoing correspondence of Bidney and spans 1937-1946. Prominent correspondents include anthropologist A.L. Kroeber and philosopher F.S.C. Northrop. The second series, Writing and research notes, consists of articles and manuscript material written by Bidney as well as articles inspired by or dedicated to Bidney. The Class lecture material series is by far the most comprehensive series in the collection. Included are lecture materials for the anthropology and philosophy classes Bidney taught at IU. The final series, Professional material, consists of a few odd items such as a resume and a small number of agendas from meetings held by the Department of Anthropology.

Theoretical Anthropology is a major contribution to the historical and critical study of the assumptions underlying the development of modern cultural anthropology. In the new introduction, Martin Bidney discusses the present state of anthropology and contrasts it with the scene surveyed in Theoretical Anthropology. He discusses the relevance of David Bidney's work to our present concerns. Also included in this work is the second edition's introductory essay by David Bidney, written fifteen years after the first edition of Theoretical Anthropology. Here the author examines his original aims in writing this book. Theoretical Anthropology has helped to create among anthropologists the present climate of theoretical self-awareness and broad humanistic concerns. It has become a standard reference work for anthropologists as well as sociologists.