The Rebirth of Anthropological Theory.

Cover -- Contents -- PREFACE -- PART 1: THE CURRENT STATE OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL THEORY: A CRITIQUE -- 1 Introduction -- 2 An Overview of Theory -- Theoretical Orientations -- Clusters of Theoretical Orientations -- British and American Anthropology -- Basic Theoretical Orientations -- Back to the Armchair -- Conclusion -- 3 Paradigms or Pseudo-paradigms -- Kuhn's Central Ideas -- The Two Kuhns -- Pre-paradigms -- Pseudo-paradigms -- Conclusion -- 4 Conceptual Contradictions -- Ideal and Actual Theory -- Explaining Theoretical Shifts -- Some Examples of Conceptual Contradictions -- Other Conceptual Contradictions -- Salvage Theory -- Backward Theory -- Anthropology and Sociology: An Unrecognized Dialectic -- Future Orientations -- 5 Theory as Myth -- What Is Myth? -- Some Comparisons of Myth and Theory -- Conclusion -- 6 Structuralism and the Second Burial of Émile Durkheim -- Durkheim -- Formal Analysis -- Promises of Structuralism -- Problems with Structuralism -- Structuralism and Positivism -- Two-Headed Anthropology -- Structuralism and Marxism -- Salutary Nature of Field-work -- PART 2: CONTRADICTION AS THE BASIS OF SOCIAL LIFE: A SOLUTION -- 7 Contradictions in Everyday Life -- Contradiction and Conflict: Operational Definitions -- The Micro Level -- The Middle Level -- The Macro Level -- Conclusion -- 8 Neutralizing Mechanisms -- Basic Mechanisms -- Power as the Imposition of Stability -- Mock Change -- Conclusion -- 9 The Illusion of Simplicity -- Defining Complexity -- The Emerging Synthesis -- Basic Elements -- Leach, Murphy, and Bailey -- 10 Reflections on Our Future -- Rebirth Step 1: Urban-Industrial Society -- Objections -- Rebirth Step 2: Social Problems and Inequality -- Racism and the Failure of Anthropology -- Objections -- Ethics and Subversion -- Rebirth Step 3: The Dialectical Perspective -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- INDEX -- A -- B -- C.

D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W.

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.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.