Categories and Classifications - Maussian Reflections on the Social

Marcel Mauss (1872-1950), Durkheim's nephew, was a key figure among Durkheimians and helped to found the distinctive French tradition in the social sciences at the start of the 20th century. He dominated the teaching of social anthropology in Paris between the Wars, and his Essay on the Gift (1925) is a well established classic. However, it is only recently that the breadth and freshness of his oeuvre as a whole is being reassessed and is gaining wider appreciation.

Having found inspiration in Mauss's texts for over twenty years, the author here explores not only what he thought but also how his ideas can be developed and applied in new ways. Thus Durkheim and Mauss's notion of "primitive classification," often misunderstood, is well exemplified by Indo-European ideology as analysed by Georges Dumezil and current comparativists, and it is argued that this ancient ideology influenced the Durkheimian classification of "social facts." Mauss's reflections on kinship and social aggregation point us towards aspects of proto-human societies that are underemphasized by contemporary palaeoanthropology, and his vision of world history in terms of emic categories - fundamental ideas such as person, space, totality, substance - casts new light on much we take for granted, as well as on The Gift. Mauss specialized in religion, and his treatment of the rubric goes beyond his uncle's unitary definition in terms of the sacred.

In assembling and presenting his essays on this intellectual giant, the author tries both to convey the range and quality of Mauss's mind and to take further his scattered and partial insights.

List of contents

Preface and Acknowledgements

Abbreviations and Conventions Used in Notes

Introduction

N.J. Allen

Chapter 1. Preliminary Remarks

Difficulties of Ethnographic Investigation

Principles of Observation 

Chapter 2. Methods of Observation  

Methods of Observation

Morphological and Cartographic Method

Photographic Method

Phonographic Method

Philological Method

Sociological Method

Chapter 3. Social Morphology

Chapter 4. Technology

Techniques of the Body

General Techniques with General Uses

Mechanical Techniques: Tools; Instruments; Machines; Fire

Special Techniques with General Uses or General Industries with Special Uses

Basketry; Pottery; Esparto Goods and Rope Making; Glues and Resins; Weaponry: Weight Weapons and Offensive Weapons; Offensive Weapons; Projectiles; Protective Armour; Parade Armoury

Specialised Industries with Special Uses

Industries of Consumption: Meals; Cooking; Ideology of Food; Condiments; Drinks; Industries of Acquisition: Gathering; Hunting; Fishing; Industries of Production: Stockbreeding; Agriculture; Industries of Protection and Comfort: Clothing (Decoration of Clothes, Fabrics); Building (Types and Materials, Functional and Morphological Study, Purpose of Buildings, Agglomeration); Industries of Transportation: Communication Routes; Porterage; Water Transport

Chapter 5. Aesthetics

Play

Physical Games; Verbal Games The Arts Plastic Arts: Cosmetics; Finery

Ornamentation of Everyday Objects, Movable and Immovable

Ideal Arts

Musical Arts: Dance; Music and Singing; Drama; Poetry; Prose

Chapter 6. Economic Phenomena

Production Distribution and Consumption Currency

Chapter 7. Jural Phenomena

Methods of Observation

Social and Political Organisation

Primary forms of Social Organisation: Monarchy; Chiefdoms; Democracy; Secondary Forms of Social Organisation

Society of Men; Secret Societies; Castes and Classes

Domestic Organisation

Phratries; The Clan; The Family; Marriage: Marriage Ceremonies; Married Life; Divorce; Bereavement

Moral Phenomena in Marriage

Property

Immovables; Movables

Contract Law

Criminal Law

Judicial Organisation and Procedure

Chapter 8. Moral Phenomena

Chapter 9. Religious Phenomena

Religious Phenomena in the Strict Sense

Public Cults: Totemism; Major Tribal Cults; Private Cults: Domestic Cults; Individual Private Cults; Rites: Manual Rites; Oral Rites; Negative Rites; Religious Representations: Representations of Natural Beings and Phenomena; Representations of Spiritual Beings; Myths, Legends and Tales; Religious Organisation Religious Phenomena in the Broad Sense Magic; Divination; Popular Superstitions

Indexes

Peoples

Periods

Places

Languages

Individuals and Writers

About the author

N. J. Allen (1939-2020) was a Social Anthropologist who worked mostly in the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology (ISCA), the University of Oxford, and at Wolfson College.

Summary

Marcel Mauss (1872-1950), Durkheim's nephew, was a key figure among Durkheimians and helped to found the distinctive French tradition in the social sciences at the start of the 20th century. He dominated the teaching of social anthropology in Paris between the Wars, and his Essay on the Gift (1925) is a well established classic.

Additional text

"The excavation and reconstruction of Maussian meanings proves richly gratifying to the intellectual archaeologist."  · American Anthropologist

"Many of the items in this book are thought-provoking ... One of its strengths is the insights it frequently gives into the divergences between Mauss's and Durkheim's thought."  · Anthropological Theory

"This is an important book ... by paying attention to the cultural construction of violence across time we can hope to be better able to explain the complex social dynamics that give rise to the actual use of violence."   · Anthropological Theory

Product details

• Authors: N. J. Allen
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.01.2001
• EAN: 9781571818089
• ISBN: 978-1-57181-808-9
• No. of pages: 172
• Weight: 354 g
• Series: Methodology & History in Anthropology; Methodology and History in Ant; Methodology & History in Anthr; Methodology & History in Anthropology; Methodology and History in Ant
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Sociological theories; Theory and Methodology, Sociology