World Anthropologies: Disciplinary Transformations within Systems of Power

by Arturo Escobar (Editor), Gustavo Lins Ribeiro (Editor)

Since its inception, anthropology's authority has been based on the assumption that it is a unified discipline emanating from the West. In an age of heightened globalization, anthropologists have failed to discuss consistently the current status of their practice and its mutations across the globe. World Anthropologies is the first book to provoke this conversation from various regions of the world in order to assess the diversity of relations between regional or national anthropologies and a contested, power-laden Western discourse. Can a planetary anthropology cope with both the 'provincial cosmopolitanism' of alternative anthropologies and the 'metropolitan provincialism' of hegemonic schools? How might the resulting 'world anthropologies' challenge the current panorama in which certain allegedly national anthropological traditions have more paradigmatic weight - and hence more power - than others? Critically examining the international dissemination of anthropology within and across national power fields, contributors address these questions and provide the outline for a veritable world anthropologies project.

Genres: Anthropology

320 pages, Paperback

First published February 23, 2006

About the author

Arturo Escobar is the Kenan Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. His most recent book is Territories of Difference.

Reviews

[Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a panoramic view of the global landscape, this book, despite being quite dull in tone, dissects the intricate webs of trade, finance, and socio-economic disparities. It elucidates the profound impact of policies, technologies, and cultural shifts on the global stage, offering a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms driving global development.