Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and TabooPurity and Danger is acknowledged as a modern masterpiece of anthropology. It is widely cited in non-anthropological works and gave rise to a body of application, rebuttal and development within anthropology. Purity and Danger is acknowledged as a modern masterpiece of anthropology. It is widely cited in non-anthropological works and gave rise to a body of application, rebuttal and development within anthropology. In 1995 the book was included among the Times Literary Supplement's hundred most influential non-fiction works since WWII. Incorporating the philosophy of religion and science and a generally holistic approach to classification, Douglas demonstrates the relevance of anthropological enquiries to an audience outside her immediate academic circle. She offers an approach to understanding rules of purity by examining what is considered unclean in various cultures. She sheds light on the symbolism of what is considered clean and dirty in relation to order in secular and religious, modern and primitive life. Purity and Danger is acknowledged as a modern masterpiece of anthropology. It is widely cited in non-anthropological works and gave rise to a body of application, rebuttal and development within anthropology. In 1995 the book was included among the Times Literary Supplement's hundred most influential non-fiction works since WWII. Incorporating the philosophy of religion and science and a generally holistic approach to classification, Douglas demonstrates the relevance of anthropological enquiries to an audience outside her immediate academic circle. She offers an approach to understanding rules of purity by examining what is considered unclean in various cultures. She sheds light on the symbolism of what is considered clean and dirty in relation to order in secular and religious, modern and primitive life. |
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 1 |
1 RITUAL UNCLEANNESS | 8 |
2 SECULAR DEFILEMENT | 36 |
3 THE ABOMINATIONS OF LEVITICUS | 51 |
4 MAGIC AND MIRACLE | 72 |
5 PRIMITIVE WORLDS | 91 |
6 POWERS AND DANGERS | 117 |
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Common terms and phrases
abomination action adultery ambiguous animals anomaly anthropologists assumptions avoidance Azande baraka behaviour Bemba blood bodily body caste chapter Cloven-hoofed contradiction contrast cooked cosmology cult curse danger death defilement dietary Dinka dirt distinction divine Durkheim Enga evil example expect experience express external fear female Frazer Havik holiness human husband hygiene idea impurity incest individual interpretation Israelites kind Lele Leviticus Levy-Bruhl live magic Maimonides male man’s Marcel Mauss margins marriage men’s moral nature Ndembu Nuer ofthe Old Testament organisation pangolin pattern political pollution beliefs pollution rules primitive culture primitive religion principle problem protect purity recognise relation religious rites ritual Robertson Smith role sacred sacrifice sense separation sex pollution sexual intercourse social structure social system society sorcery spiritual power symbolic taboo theme things thought tion Trickster unclean universe village whole wife witch witchcraft woman women Yurok