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Cosmologies in the Making

A Generative Approach to Cultural Variation in Inner New Guinea

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Paperback | 23 April 1990

At a Glance

Paperback
112 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.86 x 15.24 x 0.69

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All culture, particularly that of non-literate traditions, is constantly being recreated, and in the process also undergoes changes. In this book, Fredrik Barth examines the changes that have taken place in the secret cosmological lore transmitted in male initiation ceremonies among the Mountain Ok of Inner New Guinea, and offers a new way of explaining how cultural change occurs. Professor Barth focuses in particular on accounting for the local variations in cosmological traditions that exist among the Ok people, who otherwise share similar material and ecological conditions, and similar languages. Rejecting existing anthropological theory as inadequate for explaining this, Professor Barth constructs a new model of the mechanisms of change, based on his close empirical observation of the processes of cultural transmission. This model emphasises the role of individual creativity in cultural reproduction and change, and maintains that cosmologies can be adequately understood only if they are regarded as knowledge in the process of communication, embedded in social organization, rather than as fixed bodies of belief. From the model he derives various theoretically grounded hypotheses regarding the probable courses of change that would be generated by such mechanisms. He then goes on to show that these hypotheses fit the actual patterns of variation that are found among the Ok.

Industry Reviews

"Barth provides significant theoretical insight into the nature of traditional and cultural variation. His focus on the mechanisms of communication and their effects on cultural symbols and the distribution of knowledge opens up a promising direction for future research." William H. McKellin, Pacific Affairs

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You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Sociology & Anthropology Anthropology Social & Cultural Anthropology, Ethnography Society & Culture Cultural Studies History of Ideas Social Groups Ethnic Studies Indigenous Peoples

Foreword Jack Goody
Map
The problem
An attempt at systematic comparison: descent and ideas of conception
The possible interrelations of sub-traditions: reading sequence from distribution
The context for events of change
The results of process - variations in connotation
Secret thoughts and understandings
The stepwise articulation of a vision
Experience and concept formation
The insights pursued by Ok thinkers
General and comparative perspectives
Some reflections on theory and method
Bibliography
Index
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Cosmologies in the Making

A Generative Approach to Cultural Variation in Inner New Guinea

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

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