1.

Record Nr.

UNISA996248246303316

Autore

Goody Jack

Titolo

The logic of writing and the organization of society / / Jack Goody [[electronic resource]]

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cambridge : , : Cambridge University Press, , 1986

ISBN

1-139-08539-5

0-511-62159-0

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (xvii, 213 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)

Collana

Studies in literacy, family, culture, and the state

Disciplina

303.4

Soggetti

Writing - History

Writing - Social aspects

Social evolution

Civilization, Ancient

Africa, West Civilization

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliography (p. 194-205) and index.

Sommario/riassunto

This book assesses the impact of writing on human societies, both in the Ancient Near East and in twentieth-century Africa, and highlights some general features of social systems that have been influenced by this major change in the mode of communication. Such features are central to any attempt at the theoretical definition of human society and such constituent phenomena as religious and legal systems, and in this study Professor Goody explores the role of a specific mechanism, the introduction of writing and the development of a written tradition, in the explanation of some important social differences and similarities. Goody argues that a shift of emphasis from productive to certain communicative processes is essential to account adequately for major changes in human societies. Whilst there have been previous descussions of the effect of literacy upon social organisation, no study has hitherto presented the general synthesis developed here.