Anthropology, Ecology, and Anarchism

by Brian Morris, Peter Marshall (Introduction)

Over the course of a long career, Brian Morris has created an impressive body of engaging and insightful writings—from social anthropology and ethnography to politics, history, and philosophy—that have made these subjects accessible to the layperson without sacrificing analytical rigor. But until now, the essays collected here, originally published in obscure journals and political magazines, have been largely unavailable to the broad readership to which they are so naturally suited. The opposite of arcane, specialized writing, Morris’s work takes an interdisciplinary approach that moves seamlessly among topics, offering up coherent and practical connections between his various scholarly interests and his deeply held commitment to anarchist politics and thought.
Approached in this way, anthropology and ecology are largely untapped veins whose relevance for anarchism and other traditions of social thought have only recently begun to be explored and debated. But there is a long history of anarchist writers drawing upon works in those related fields. Morris’s essays both explore past connections and suggest ways that broad currents of anarchist thought will have new and ever-emerging relevance for anthropology and many other ways of understanding social relationships. His writings avoid the constraints of dogma and reach across an impressive array of topics to give readers a lucid orientation within these traditions and point to new ways to confront common challenges.

Genres: Anthropology, Politics, Ecology, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Nature

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2014

About the author

Brian Morris (born 1936) is emeritus professor of anthropology at Goldsmiths College at the University of London. He is a specialist on folk taxonomy, ethnobotany and ethnozoology, and on religion and symbolism.

He has carried out fieldwork among South Asian hunter-gatherers and in Malawi. Groups that he has studied include the Ojibwa.

Leaving school at the age of fifteen, Brian Morris had a varied career: foundry worker, seaman, and tea-planter in Malawi, before becoming a university teacher. Now Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at Goldsmiths College, University of London, he is the author of numerous articles and books on ethnobotany, religion and symbolism, hunter-gatherer societies and concepts of the individual.

His books include Richard Jefferies and the Ecological Vision (2006), Religion and Anthropology: A Critical Introduction(2006), Insects and Human Life (2004) and Kropotkin: The Politics of Community (2004). Black Rose Books is also the publisher of hisBakunin: The Philosophy of Freedom (1993) and the forthcoming Anarchist Miscellany.

Reviews

[Michael Clevenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an OUTSTANDING collection of essays gathered from obscure journals from Dr. Brian Morris, professor emeritus of anthropology at Goldsmiths College, London.

It is an excellent introduction to various strains of anarchism, particularly the political philosophy of Murray Bookchin and Peter Kropotkin, although he covers many other strains. While academic and broad in scope, each essay is only 10-12 pages. Really surprised there are no reviews for this text. Will be passing it along to folks.

[Miguel Vian · Rating 3 out of 5]

El interés de los artículos es bastante irregular, y hay muchos temas que se repiten demasiado entre ellos. Habría sido más razonable hacer una revisión conjunta de toda la colección para ofrecer un libro, en conjunto, más interesante. Es el último ensayo, en el que el autor recuerda su experiencia etnográfica entre los Malai Pandaram y su estado de anarquía, el que tiene más interés, con mucha diferencia.

[Jemma Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times I found Morris’s style tedious and his idolization of early anarchists too uncritical to be taken at face value, but the four stars is for his examination of the intellectual legacy of anarchism and the anarchist movement. This book is a great survey and provides a jumping off point for further inquiry.

[Jun Ogata · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's good information here, but I just didn't enjoy reading any of it. Basically... I was bored. Some essays are interesting, some aren't. You can fill a text with a bunch of solid info and discussion, but that sadly doesn't automatically make it compelling. I'll probably still use this book as a resource from time to time.

[Suryashekhar Biswas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian Morris doesn't shy away from the anarchist credentials that he's forever advocated for even while he provides academically rigorous (yet easily fathomable) studies.

[Omace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decent book if a bit too polemical when it comes to criticism of postmodernism