Leandro Benedini Brusadin
Federal University of Ouro Preto

This study reviews existing published academic literature in the Anthropology and the Sociology of Hospitality to create a conceptual paper based on the theory of Marcel Mauss’s gift. The aim of the paper is to reflect on practices of trade in human relations and the way of welcoming the other. Hospitality, from the viewpoint of Mauss’s gift, may be better grounded to encompass the complexity of the field and go beyond empirical studies and superficial intellectualism.

Key words: Hospitality; Anthropology; Marcel Mauss; Gift Theory; Exchanges.