1 . Introduction.- 2 . A Comparative Method.- 3 . Household Social Reproduction and the Canonical Communication of Habitus.- 4 . Indexical and Social Boundary Communication.- 5 . A Macroregional Approach.- 6 . Conclusion.- Appendixes.- References.

The author presents a large comparative database derived from ethnographic and architectural research in Southeast Asia, Egypt, Mesoamerica, and other areas; proposes new methodologies for comparative analyses of houses; and critically examines existing methodologies, theories, and data. His work expands on and systematizes comparative and cross-cultural approaches to the study of households and their environments to provide a firm foundation for this emerging line of study.