This book examines the unity and diversity of work through ethnographic case studies, incorporating not only work in our own society but also that of hunters and gatherers, farmers and herders, family businesses, domestic work, and child labor. Generally, work is understood as instrumental action, while in most societies, work objects are seen as independent, willful, or obstinate. Such an understanding of work as interaction can also aid in the analysis of our own work. Work in the household economy, which includes women's, children's, and elder care work, is not only a historically significant form but also relevant today. Its analysis contributes to the understanding of contemporary forms of work. Work in capitalist enterprises is currently managed by executives, while historically and in cross-cultural comparisons, others have dominated.