Introduction: On the fickleness of friendship

In this Introduction to the special section, I provide a brief overview of the anthropology of friendship, particularly from the 1960s to the present, before focusing on the four articles that form the main body of the section. I argue that anthropologists who do not regard themselves as specialists in friendship will still find much to gain from reflecting on the topic. In addition, I highlight the significance of friendship in pointing to the significance of the fickle in human relations.