The Tribal Imagination investigates the enduring influence of primal, tribal modes of thought on the development and structure of modern civilization.

Robin Fox's "The Tribal Imagination" is recognized for its ambitious synthesis of anthropological theory and historical analysis, aiming to illuminate the deep roots of civilization in primal human social structures. The book is noted for its engagement with foundational anthropological concepts, particularly Lévi-Strauss's ideas on the 'savage mind,' and its attempt to trace their persistent influence on modern societies. It offers a complex argument about the enduring power of tribal instincts and social organization in shaping contemporary political, religious, and cultural landscapes. The work is generally regarded as a dense, scholarly contribution to the understanding of human social evolution.