1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910460886803321

Autore

Barrett Stanley R.

Titolo

The rebirth of anthropological theory / / Stanley R. Barrett

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Toronto, [Ontario] ; ; Buffalo, [New York] ; ; London, [England] : , : University of Toronto Press, , 1964

©1964

ISBN

1-4426-5515-1

1-4426-8217-5

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (281 pages) : illustrations, tables

Collana

Heritage

Disciplina

305.8001

Soggetti

Ethnology - Philosophy

Electronic books.

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Preface -- 1. Introduction -- 2. An Overview of Theory -- 3. Paradigms or Pseudo-paradigms -- 4. Conceptual Contradictions -- 5. Theory as Myth -- 6. Structuralism and the Second Burial of Émile Durkheim -- 7. Contradictions in Everyday Life -- 8. Neutralizing Mechanisms -- 9. The Illusion of Simplicity -- 10. Reflections on Our Future -- Bibliography -- Index

Sommario/riassunto

Innovative and often controversial, Barrett's study ranges over the entire scope of anthropological theory. It provides a fresh interpretation of the history of theory and mounts an alternative perspective, built around dialectics, that is eminently suitable to post-colonial anthropology.He argues that anthropological theory has failed to be cumulative. It has been characterized by oscillation and repetition - theoretical orientations have appeared and disappeared, only to be discovered once again. Addressing numerous conceptual contradictions which have never been resolved, he introduces novel concepts such as salvage theory and backward theory, and argues that in many respects anthropological theory resembles the structuralists interpretation of myth.Social life, he asserts, is inherently contradictory, although concealed by numerous mechanisms, most of which reinforce the status quo. Attacking the illusion of simplicity which has dominated



positivistic approaches and the out-dated identification of anthropology with non-Western, primitive, and tribal societies, Barrett contends that power and privilege everywhere should be the basic concerns of anthropological inquiry.