Natural Symbols: Explorations in Cosmology, Volume 13First published in 1970, this classic text represents a work of anthropology in its widest sense, exploring themes such as the social meaning of natural symbols and the image of the body in society.Natural Symbols is one of the most important works of modern anthropology. First published over thirty years ago, the work presaged many of the most controversial areas of intellectual debate, from the social significance of the body to religious cosmology.Written against the backdrop of the student uprisings of the late 1960s, the book took seriously the revolutionary fervour of the times, but instead of seeking to destroy the rituals and symbols that can govern and oppress, Mary Douglas saw instead that if transformation were needed, it could only be made possible through better understanding. Expressed with clarity and dynamism, the passionate analysis which follows remains one of the most insightful and rewarding studies of human behaviour ever written. |
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acts analysis attitudes become behaviour beliefs bodily body boundaries called child Christian Church classification close concerned contrast cosmology cult culture dangerous described develop diagram different Dinka distinctive doctrine effect elaborated example expect experience expression feel find first followers formal forms Friday function give given grid and group hierarchy human idea individual institutions interest internal kind language leaders less lives London magical matter means mind moral move movements natural Nuer organization particular pattern political positional possession possible pressures primitive problem question range recognize rejection relations religion religious restricted code ritual roles rules seems sense situation social structure social system society speech spirit strong success suggests symbols tend theory things thought tion turn universe values whole witch