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. 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. |
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Common terms and phrases
abomination adultery ambiguous animals anomaly anthropologists approach assumptions avoid Azande baraka behaviour Bemba blood bodily body caste chapter Cloven-hoofed common concerned contradiction contrast cooking cult curse danger death defilement Dinka dirt distinction divine Durkheim Enga evil example expect experience express external fear female formal Frazer Havik holiness human husband hygiene idea impurity incest individual interpretation Israelites kind Lele Leviticus Levy-Bruhl live magic Maimonides male margins marriage matrilineal means moral nature Ndembu Nuer Old Testament organisation pangolin pattern physical political pollution beliefs pollution rules position primitive cultures primitive religion primitive ritual principle problem purification purity recognise relation religious rites Robertson Smith role sacred sacrifice secular sense separation sex pollution sexual intercourse social structure social system society sorcery spiritual power symbolic symbolise taboo theme things thought Trickster unclean universe village Walbiri whole wife witch witchcraft woman women Yurok
Popular passages
Page 2 - There is no such thing as absolute dirt: it exists in the eye of the beholder.