Four Lectures on Anthropology: Rumor · Imagination · Body · History

Author: Strassen (USA) Stewart
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: The witchcraft and sorcery of Pacific and African ethnic groups, which anthropologists are very familiar with, are often regarded by outsiders as feudal superstitions or primitive religions that are far removed from modern society. However, Professor Strassen and Dr. Stewart argue that witchcraft and sorcery are always intertwined with rumors and gossip. From a processual perspective, contemporary terrorists and primitive sorcerers are essentially the same—they lurk among us, possess extraordinary abilities, and are always ready to disrupt our lives. Society always seeks to eliminate them, and this process, along with issues of imagination, violence, and scapegoats, forms a series of mechanisms that drive social change.
This book is based on four thematic lectures delivered by the two renowned anthropologists, Andrew Strassen and Pamela Stewart, at Peking University, at the invitation of Professor Wang Mingming of Peking University. The lectures cover topics such as contemporary terrorism and witchcraft, rumors, gossip, the concept of bodily fluids, transnationalism, globalization, diaspora, and more. Drawing on their field research in Papua New Guinea, the professors introduce their research findings and perspectives, while also discussing the new developments and trends in contemporary anthropology.
Each lecture is followed by exchanges and Q&A sessions with anthropologists from over ten universities in China and abroad, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, and the University of Chicago. This book can be considered a significant dialogue between recent Chinese anthropological research and the broader international anthropological community.