The Character of Kingship - Couverture rigide

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 1845202902 ISBN 13 : 9781845202903

Editeur : Berg Publishers, 2005

Synopsis

Why has monarchy been such a prevalent institution throughout history and in such a diverse range of societies? Kingship is at the heart of both ritual and politics and has major implications for the theory of social and cultural anthropology. Yet, despite the contemporary fascination with royalty, anthropologists have sorely neglected the subject in recent decades. This book combines a strong theoretical argument with a wealth of ethnography from kingships in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Quigley gives a timely and much-needed overview of the anthropology of kingship and a crucial reassessment of the contributions of Frazer and Hocart to debates about the nature and function of royal ritual. From diverse fieldwork sites, a number of eminent anthropologists demonstrate how ritual and power intertwine to produce a series of variations around myth, tragedy and historical realities. However, underneath this diversity, two common themes invariably emerge: the attempt to portray kingship as timeless and perfect, and the dual nature of the king as sacred being and scapegoat.

A propos du livre

À propos de l?auteur

Declan Quigley is Honorary Research Associate, Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Oxford University.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Berg Publishers
• Date d'édition: 2005
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 1845202902
• ISBN 13: 9781845202903
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 268
• Éditeur: Quigley Declan
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: gpsr@libri.de; gpsr@libri.de; ; Friedensallee 273; Hamburg; 22763; Allemagne