From Anthropology to Social Theory - Rethinking the Social Sciences

A rethinking of contemporary social theory that provides a vision about the modern world through key ideas developed by 'maverick' anthropologists.

List of contents

Introduction: rethinking social theory with anthropology; Part I. Maverick Anthropologists: 1. Arnold van Gennep: liminal rites and the rhythms of life; 2. Gabriel Tarde and René Girard: imitation and the foundations of social life; 3. Marcel Mauss: from sacrifice to gift-giving or revisiting foundations; 4. Lucien Lévy-Bruhl and Colin Turnbull: participation, experience, and home; 5. Paul Radin: the trickster; 6. Gregory Bateson and Johan Huizinga: Schismogenesis and play; 7. Victor Turner: liminal experiences as the grounding of social theory; Part II. Rethinking Modernity and Its Sociology: 8. A reflexive political anthropology of sociology; 9. A reflexive political anthropology of modernity.

About the author

Arpad Szakolczai is Professor of Sociology at University College Cork. His recent books include Comedy and the Public Sphere (2013), Permanent Liminality and Modernity (2017), and Walking into the Void: A Historical Sociology and Political Anthropology of Walking (with Agnes Horvath, 2018).Bjørn Thomassen is Professor at the Department of Social Sciences and Business at Roskilde Universitet, Denmark. His book Liminality and the Modern: Living Through the In-Between (2014) paved the way for novel understandings and applications of the liminality concept.

Summary

For graduate students and researchers in anthropological theory, this book offers a renewal of social theory through anthropological concepts such as liminality, trickster, imitation, schismogenesis, participation, and gift relations, by revisiting the rise of the modern world and its sociology via key ideas developed by 'maverick' anthropologists.

Product details

• Authors: Arpad Szakolczai, Arpad (University College Cork Ireland Szakolczai, Arpad (University College Cork Ireland) Szakolczai, Arpad (University College Cork) Szakolczai, Arpad (University College Cork) Thomas Szakolczai, Szakolczai Arpad, Bjorn Thomassen, Bjørn Thomassen, Bjorn (Roskilde Universitet Thomassen, Bjørn (Roskilde Universitet Thomassen, Bjorn (University College Cork) Thomassen, Bjrn Thomassen
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.11.2018
• EAN: 9781108423809
• ISBN: 978-1-108-42380-9
• No. of pages: 294
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > Politics, society, business > Politics; Social sciences, law, business > Ethnology > Ethnology; Social Theory, Anthropology, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / General