The Anthropology of Friendship

by Bell Sandra (editor), Simon Coleman (Editor)

Friendship is usually seen as a vital part of most people's lives in the West. From our friends, we hope to derive emotional support, advice and material help in times of need. In this pioneering book, basic assumptions about friendship are examined from a cross-cultural point of view. Is friendship only a western conception or is it possible to identify friends in such places as Papua New Guinea, Kenya, China, and Brazil? In seeking to answer this question, contributors also explore what friendship means closer to home, from the bar to the office, and address the Are friendships voluntary?* Should friends be distinguished sharply from relatives?* Do work and friendship mix?* Does friendship support or subvert the social order?* How is friendship shaped by the nature of the person, gender, and the relationship between private and public life?* How is friendship affected when morality is compromised by self-interest?This book represents one of the few major attempts to deal with friendship from a comparative perspective. In achieving this aim, it demonstrates the culture-bound nature of many assumptions concerning one of the most basic building-blocks of western social relationships. More importantly, it signposts the future of social relations in many parts of the world, where older social bonds based on kinship or proximity are being challenged by flexible ties forged when people move within local, national and increasingly global networks of social relations.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1999

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

voor school

[Femmi Graré · Rating 2 out of 5]

While some chapters were evocative and made the reader rethink the idea (singular and universal) of friendship, many other chapters lacked both character and thorough analysis. The editors could have tried to interweave the different chapters more and should have written a conclusionary chapter to create a more cohesive whole with satisfactory ending.

[Ezra Mewissen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Opdracht voor het vak Culture, intimacy and relatedness
Ik vond er doorheen het boek heeeelemaal niets aan, gelukkig viel het achteraf wel mee.
Heel veel moeilijke en wetenschappelijke termen waardoor je echt veel tijd nodig had om het te lezen.

[Leentje Buys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waar er in het verleden al veel geschreven is over kinship, biedt dit boek een inzicht op een ander soort relatie, namelijk vriendschap. Dit is een heel interessant boek wanneer je een anthropologisch inzicht en de basis kennis wil verwerven in hoe vriendschap zich kan ontvouwen etc.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book, better than I anticipated I'd find on the subject. If you're interested in the topic this is definitely worth the read.