Objects Evidence

ISBN-13: 9781405192965 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 176 str.

Matthew Eric Engelke

Opis

Part of The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute Special Issue Book Series, the contributors to this volume share the conviction that anthropology can no longer afford to ignore the importance of the concept of evidence, either for the ways in which anthropologists carry out their work (methodology) or present and justify their findings (epistemology).

• Demonstrates that evidence is something that all anthropologists must possess
• Shows how the collection of evidence in the field is still, without doubt, one of the main ingredients of what Bronislaw Malinowski once referred to as 'the ethnographer's magic'
• Reveals how the concept of evidence has received little sustained attention in print - especially when compared to related concepts, such as 'fieldwork', 'truth', 'facts', and 'knowledge'
• Argued from a variety of theoretical perspectives and a rarity in its ability to orchestrate some many different - and vibrant - paradigms and points of view

Recenzje

"This volume is successful is in transforming the problem of evidence into a productive inquiry." ( Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, January 2011)

 

Spis treści

Foreword: Wendy James.

1. The objects of evidence: Matthew Engelke.

2. Truth and sight: generalizing without universalizing: Maurice Bloch.

3. The prosthetic eye: photography as cure and poison: Christopher Pinney.

4. Cultural evidence in courts of law: Anthony Good.

5. The antinomies of political evidence in post–Apartheid Durban, South Africa: Sharad Chari.

6. Three propositions for an evidence–based medical anthropology: Stefan Ecks.

7. Definitive evidence, from Cuban gods: Martin Holbraad.

8. The evidence of the senses and the materiality of religion: Webb Keane.

9. Linguistic and cultural variables in the psychology of numeracy: Charles Stafford.

10. Some problems with property ascription: Nicola Knight and Rita Astuti.

Index

O autorze

Matthew Engelke is a lecturer in the Department of Anthropology at the London School of Economics.

Blurb

Evidence is something that all anthropologists must possess, and the collection of evidence in the field is still one of the main ingredients of what Bronislaw Malinowski once referred to as the ethnographer s magic . And yet, despite this, the concept of evidence has received little sustained attention in print especially when compared to related concepts, such as fieldwork , truth , facts , and knowledge . All anthropologists use evidence, but precious few reflect on what it is or isn t. This volume goes some way to correcting this state of affairs.

The volume s contributors share the conviction that anthropology can no longer afford to ignore the importance of the concept of evidence, either for the ways in which anthropologists carry out their work (methodology) or present and justify their findings (epistemology). But the real strength of the volume comes from the ways in which the contributors argue the case from a variety of theoretical perspectives. This volume is a first when it comes to the care with which it treats such an important subject, and a rarity in its ability to orchestrate so many different paradigms and points of view.