Description
Book SynopsisMorality: An Anthropological Perspective provides the first account of anthropological approaches to the question of morality. By considering how morality is viewed and enacted in different cultures, and how it is related to key social institutions such as religion, law, gender, sexuality and medical practice, Morality takes a closer look at some of the most central questions of the morality debates of our time. The book combines theory with practical case studies for student use. Drawing on anthropological, philosophical and general social scientific literature, the book will be useful for both undergraduate students and researchers. Accessibly written, Morality provides a unique and wide-ranging perspective on morality, and will be essential reading for those interested in this important contemporary debate.
Trade Review"An enterprising, highly useful, and wide-ranging survey of an important emerging field. - James Laidlaw, University of Cambridge
The book is wide-ranging, informative, and provides a useful overview for those wishing to learn more about a key emerging field. - Alexandra Hall, Durham University
With generous attention to a diverse range of ethnographies, the author reveals the promises and problems of morality in anthropological research. - Patrik Lundh, University of California at Santa Cruz
Essential for any library serving a graduate department of anthropology. - J. Stauder, Choice Magazine"
Table of ContentsIntroduction1Some Early Works in the Anthropology of MoralitiesRelativism Outline of BookPart I The Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations of the Anthropological Studies of Morality1The Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations of Social Scientific Studies of Morality - From Plato and Aristotle to Durkheim, Weber, and FoucaultPhilosophical Theories of MoralityThe Roots of a Social Scientific Theory of MoralitySome Final WordsPart II Religion and Law2ReligionWitchcraftMoral Consciousness and the Ethics of SelfChange, Religion, and MoralitiesSome Final Words3LawState and LawMoral Economies, Inequality, and PropertyHuman RightsSome Final WordsCase Study 1 Moral Torment in Papua New GuineaPart III Sexuality, Gender, and Health4Gender and SexualityGender and MoralitiesSexualityFamily, Children, and MoralitySome Final Words5Illness, Health, and MedicineThe Morality of BiomedicineHIV/AIDS and MoralityNarrative and Medical EncountersBioethicsSome Final WordsCase Study 2 Morality and Women's Health in Post-Soviet RussiaPart IV Language, Narrative, and Discourse6Language, Discourse, and NarrativeDiscourse, Performativity, and Moral CommunicationNarrativeSome Final WordsCase Study 3 Narratives of moral experience in MoscowPart V Closing7Some Closing WordsMorality and EthicsReferences
