Anthropological theory and engagement: A zero-sum game? (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)

Martin, K.; Flynn, A.

Abstract

Engagement with pressing social and political issues is often presented as a threat to the elaboration of sophisticated anthropological theory that needs to be protected from such concerns in order to flourish. However the history of anthropological theory demonstrates that some of the discipline's most important contributions have tended to arise as a result of its proponents' desire to engage in such debates. Although we cannot reproduce the cultural models of a previous generation of anthropologists, the future elaboration of ground-breaking anthropological theory depends upon a rediscovery of such engaged work that does not posit engagement versus theoretical development as a zero-sum game.

Citation

Martin, K., & Flynn, A. (2015). Anthropological theory and engagement: A zero-sum game? (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate). Anthropology Today, 31(1), 12-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8322.12153

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Jan 26, 2015
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Mar 31, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 17, 2016
• Journal: Anthropology Today
• Print ISSN: 0268-540X
• Electronic ISSN: 1467-8322
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 12-14
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8322.12153
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1410733