Social Analysis has long been at the forefront of anthropology's engagement with the humanities and other social sciences. In forming a critical, concerned, and empirical perspective, Social Analysis encourages contributions that break away from the disciplinary bounds of anthropology and suggest innovative ways of challenging hegemonic paradigms through 'grounded theory', analysis based in original empirical research.

The journal invites contributions directed toward a critical and theoretical understanding of cultural, political, and social processes. It is available for the publication of information and discussion by active ethnographic researchers into the forces involved in the production of human suffering, poverty, prejudice, war, and violence. The main thrust of the journal is toward publishing material that presents a critical and concerned anthropology.