The Interpretation Of CulturesOne of the twentieth century's most influential books, this classic work of anthropology offers a groundbreaking exploration of what culture is With The Interpretation of Cultures, the distinguished anthropologist Clifford Geertz developed the concept of thick description, and in so doing, he virtually rewrote the rules of his field. Culture, Geertz argues, does not drive human behavior. Rather, it is a web of symbols that can help us better understand what that behavior means. A thick description explains not only the behavior, but the context in which it occurs, and to describe something thickly, Geertz argues, is the fundamental role of the anthropologist. Named one of the 100 most important books published since World War II by the Times Literary Supplement, The Interpretation of Cultures transformed how we think about others' cultures and our own. This definitive edition, with a foreword by Robert Darnton, remains an essential book for anthropologists, historians, and anyone else seeking to better understand human cultures. |
Contents
Toward an Interpretive | 3 |
Chapter 2 The Impact of the Concept of Culture | 33 |
The Growth of Culture and the Evolution | 55 |
Copyright | |
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abangans activity acts actual analysis animal anthropology attempt Australopithecines Bali Balinese Barong behavior belief Berber called ceremony cial cock cockfight common complex concept concerned consociates context course culture define developed Dinka emotional empirical ethnographic evolution existence experience fact feeling fight formulation function funeral groups hominid human ideas ideology important Indian individual Indonesia integration intellectual interpretation Islamic Java Javanese kampong Karman Korawas least less living logical Masjumi matter meaning mental ments merely metaphysical mind modern Modin moods moral Morocco nature nervous Nigeria one's organization particular party pattern perhaps Permai play political pongids primordial problem psychological Rangda reality religion religious ringgits ritual role santris scientific seems sense significance slametan society sort Sukarno symbolic syncretism tend theoretical theory things thought tion traditional tural ture village whole wink world view York