Showing papers by "Fredrik Barth published in 1972"
TL;DR: The seven brief essays appearing in this collection were, with a few others, originally written for a symposium held in Bergen in 1967 as mentioned in this paper, and they bear the marks of a well-prepared and well-managed conference, although they are perhaps not quite so unified in their theoretical character as the editor's Preface might lead one to think.
Abstract: The seven brief essays appearing in this collection were, with a few others, originally written for a symposium held in Bergen in 1967. They bear the marks of a well-prepared and well-managed conference, although they are perhaps not quite so unified in their theoretical character as the editor's Preface might lead one to think. Each essay is worth very close study for what it says about a particular case or group of cases; and one ought to recognize, with admiration and gratitude, the remarkable contribution to world ethnography now being made by Scandinavian scholars. Two essays deal with Norwegian situations; the others are concerned with material from Asia, Africa and Central America. How lucky we are that the authors have been willing to go to the trouble of writing in English. But one may be less certain about the book of which the essays are components. What are the ethnic groups between which there can be boundaries to study? Harald Eidheim writes on a mixed
546 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on differences in the way social situations are defined in different cultures and societies, and illustrate some dimensions for comparing social systems in this respect, viz: their inventory of statuses, the repertoires of persons, and the cultural ways in which occasions are distinguished.
Abstract: The paper focuses on differences in the way social situations are defined in different cultures and societies. It develops and illustrates some dimensions for comparing social systems in this respect, viz: their inventory of statuses, the repertoires of persons, and the cultural ways in which occasions are distinguished. Some contrasting types of society are compared on these dimensions; and the problem is raised as to the epistemological character of such types, and the importance of the variable of scale. The dual nature of social organization as an organization both of people and of tasks is emphasized.
35 citations