Culture and Dignity - Dialogues Between the Middle East and the West

Informationen zum Autor Laura Nader is Professor of Anthropology at the University of California at Berkeley. An influential voice in contemporary anthropology, Laura Nader's books include Naked Science: Anthropological Inquiry into Boundaries, Power and Knowledge (1996), The Life of the Law (2002), and, with Ugo Mattei, Plunder-When the Rule of Law is Illegal (2008). Klappentext In Culture and Dignity - Dialogues between the Middle East and the West, renowned cultural anthropologist Laura Nader examines the historical and ethnographic roots of the complex relationship between the East and the West, revealing how cultural differences can lead to violence or a more peaceful co-existence.* Outlines an anthropology for the 21st century that focuses on the myriad connections between peoples--especially the critical intercultural dialogues between the cultures of the East and the West* Takes an historical and ethnographic approach to studying the intermingling of Arab peoples and the West.* Demonstrates how cultural exchange between the East and West is a two-way process* Presents an anthropological perspective on issues such as religious fundamentalism, the lives of women and children, notions of violence and order "The collection reflects the many lasting contributions Nader has made to understanding and improving the human condition. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries." ( Choice, 1 July 2013) Zusammenfassung * Outlines an anthropology for the 21st century that focuses on the myriad connections between peoples especially the critical intercultural dialogues between the cultures of the East and the West * Takes an historical and ethnographic approach to studying the intermingling of Arab peoples and the West. Inhaltsverzeichnis Acknowledgments x Preface xii 1 Introduction 1 Indignities 5 Naturalizing Difference and the Great Transformation 14 Comparison, Ethnography, and History 17 2 From Rifaah al-Tahtawi to Edward Said: Lessons in Culture and Dignity 24 Introduction 24 Rifaah al-Tahtawi and France 26 A Hundred Years Later: Edward Said 34 Concluding Comments 45 3 Ethnography as Theory: On the Roots of Controversy in Anthropology 51 Introduction 51 Unstated Consensus 54 Defining Ethnographic Worth: 1896-2000 55 Ethnographic Audiences 64 An Outsider Looking In on Anthropology's Ethnography 69 Concluding Comments 74 4 Orientalism, Occidentalism, and the Control of Women 80 Cultural Hierarchy and Processes of Control 83 The Specifi city of Eastern and Western Grids 85 Positional Superiority, Thought Systems, and Other Cultures 87 Ways of Seeing and Comparing - East and West 88 The Controlling Role of Ideas 96 The Use of Revolution in Gender Control 98 Multiple Systems of Female Subordination 102 Colonialism, Development, Religion, and Gender Control 107 Conclusion: The Need to Separate Identities 110 5 Corporate Fundamentalism: Constructing Childhood in the United States and Elsewhere 120 Introduction 120 Manufacturing Culture Bit by Bit 122 Fundamentalisms: Corporate and Religious 126 Marketing and Children: The United States 131 Drugs, Commercialism, and the Biomedical Paradigm: An American Example 137 When Corporate Profits and Education Meet: The Educational Testing Industry 140 Fundamentalisms: Economic, Religious, Political 141 Back to Corporate Fundamentalism: Future Directions 144 6 Culture and the Seeds of Nonviolence in the Middle East 151 Introduction 151 Disharmonic Westernization and Pilgrimage 154 Between the Stereotype and Reality 157 Little Worlds in the International Grip 161 Culture and Nonviolence: Who Stands to Gain From Peace? 165

List of contents

Acknowledgments x
 
Preface xii
 
1 Introduction 1
 
Indignities 5
 
Naturalizing Difference and the Great Transformation 14
 
Comparison, Ethnography, and History 17
 
2 From Rifaah al-Tahtawi to Edward Said: Lessons in Culture and Dignity 24
 
Introduction 24
 
Rifaah al-Tahtawi and France 26
 
A Hundred Years Later: Edward Said 34
 
Concluding Comments 45
 
3 Ethnography as Theory: On the Roots of Controversy in Anthropology 51
 
Introduction 51
 
Unstated Consensus 54
 
Defining Ethnographic Worth: 1896-2000 55
 
Ethnographic Audiences 64
 
An Outsider Looking In on Anthropology's Ethnography 69
 
Concluding Comments 74
 
4 Orientalism, Occidentalism, and the Control of Women 80
 
Cultural Hierarchy and Processes of Control 83
 
The Specifi city of Eastern and Western Grids 85
 
Positional Superiority, Thought Systems, and Other Cultures 87
 
Ways of Seeing and Comparing - East and West 88
 
The Controlling Role of Ideas 96
 
The Use of Revolution in Gender Control 98
 
Multiple Systems of Female Subordination 102
 
Colonialism, Development, Religion, and Gender Control 107
 
Conclusion: The Need to Separate Identities 110
 
5 Corporate Fundamentalism: Constructing Childhood in the United States and Elsewhere 120
 
Introduction 120
 
Manufacturing Culture Bit by Bit 122
 
Fundamentalisms: Corporate and Religious 126
 
Marketing and Children: The United States 131
 
Drugs, Commercialism, and the Biomedical Paradigm: An American Example 137
 
When Corporate Profits and Education Meet: The Educational Testing Industry 140
 
Fundamentalisms: Economic, Religious, Political 141
 
Back to Corporate Fundamentalism: Future Directions 144
 
6 Culture and the Seeds of Nonviolence in the Middle East 151
 
Introduction 151
 
Disharmonic Westernization and Pilgrimage 154
 
Between the Stereotype and Reality 157
 
Little Worlds in the International Grip 161
 
Culture and Nonviolence: Who Stands to Gain From Peace? 165
 
Dignity Becomes Reality 168
 
7 Normative Blindness and Unresolved Human Rights Issues: The Hypocrisy of Our Age 175
 
Introduction 175
 
Early Constraints 176
 
Unresolved Issues 178
 
A Nonstate Human Rights Effort 183
 
Health and Human Rights 186
 
Human Rights and Commercialism 191
 
Concluding Remarks 193
 
8 Breaking the Silence: Politics and Professional Autonomy 197
 
Introduction 197
 
Silence and Dominant Hegemonies 198
 
Desensitization 204
 
Mistakes Repeated in the Iraq Invasion 206
 
9 Lessons 212
 
Lessons Learned 212
 
Strategies of Subordination - In Reverse 216
 
Macro-histories 221
 
Appendix 226
 
Index 230

Report

"The book is written in an engaging and highly accessible manner. Although it would have benefited from a deeper differentiated discussion of 'cultural dignity' and what it means in this world that Nader paints, Culture and dignity is a thought-provoking exercise in the kind of connections we need to make for an anthropology committed to a more honest and robust knowledge of the Middle East and the world." (Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 1 January 2014)
 
"Drawing from an eclectic sample of literature dealing with the global connections between the Middle East and the West, the author achieves a much needed - and very timely - intellectual 'check-up' and warns us against cultural framings that serve to side-line serious explorations of the roots and nature of human suffering. It is crucial for all those of us who are genuinely concerned with peace to liberate our imaginations from the myths and stereotypes that work to divide us." (Studies in Ethnicity And Nationalism, 15 October 2013)
 
"The collection reflects the many lasting contributions Nader has made to understanding and improving the human condition. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries." (Choice, 1 July 2013)

Product details

• Authors: L Nader, Laura Nader, Laura (University of California Nader, Nader Laura
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 26.10.2012
• EAN: 9781118319017
• ISBN: 978-1-118-31901-7
• No. of pages: 264
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Pre and early history; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Miscellaneous; Anthropologie, Anthropology, Social & cultural anthropology, Ethnic groups and multicultural studies, Soziale u. kulturelle Anthropologie, Allg. Anthropologie, African & Middle Eastern Anthropology, Anthropologie / Afrika, Naher Osten