Structure and Sentiment (Classic Reprint): A Test Case in Social Anthropology - Couverture souple

Needham, Rodney

 
9781333795047: Structure and Sentiment (Classic Reprint): A Test Case in Social Anthropology

Synopsis

This book delves into the historical and anthropological debate on social institutions, specifically the concept of 'prescriptive marriage rules' as the organizing principle of some societies' structures. The author posits that this theory, first put forward in the 1949 classic Les Structures élémentaires de la Parenté by Claude Levi-Strauss, is fundamentally flawed. He argues that Levi-Strauss' theory misinterprets the empirical data, over-emphasizes statistical correlations, and mistakenly employs psychological analysis to address a sociological problem. By contrast, the author presents a rigorous and evidence-based analysis of prescriptive marriage rules, demonstrating their structural and functional significance in organizing social life. This book provides a valuable critique of a widely accepted theory and offers fresh insights into the role of these rules in shaping human societies.

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