A chronological account of the anthropological study of cultural diffusion is presented, starting with nineteenth-century, and early twentieth-century, reconstructions of the cultural history of diffusion. Subsequent approaches, in particular the study of culture contact, acculturation, and culture change, as well as world-system and globalization studies, are presented and discussed in the remainder of the text. In this context, issues such as colonialism, underdevelopment, and cultural imperialism are also touched upon. A change in research focus is described in which the key topic of cultural origins has been replaced by a concern with questions of cultural homogenization and diversity. In conclusion, an argument is made for the relevance of diffusion studies for contemporary anthropology.