Structure vs Process - How to look at politics

Compare, contrast, and assess attempts by at least two anthropologists to analyse politics in terms of temporal processes rather than (a-temporal) structure.

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Education & Teaching
Cover of the book Structure vs Process - How to look at politics by Johannes Lenhard, GRIN Verlag
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Johannes Lenhard ISBN: 9783656323792
Publisher: GRIN Verlag Publication: November 28, 2012
Imprint: GRIN Verlag Language: English
Author: Johannes Lenhard
ISBN: 9783656323792
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Publication: November 28, 2012
Imprint: GRIN Verlag
Language: English

Essay from the year 2012 in the subject Pedagogy - Science, Theory, Anthropology, grade: 65, University of Cambridge, language: English, abstract: Compare, contrast, and assess attempts by at least two anthropologists to analyse politics in terms of temporal processes rather than (a-temporal) structure. Edmund Leach published his account of the Kachin society in Highland Burma in 1954, fourteen years after Evans-Pritchard's and Fortes' classical structural-functionalist collection on 'African Political Systems'. Only four years after Leach, Barth's 'Swat Pathans' enters the debate. Both Barth and Leach differ remarkably in their methodological approach fousing on change and process. While Radcliffe-Brown (Fortes & Evans-Pritchard, 2006:vi) proclaims in his preface to 'African Political Systems' that the aim of anthropology is to 'discover the universal, essential, characters which belong to all human societies, past, present and future', Leach (Leach, 2004) heavily criticises the implicit underlying assumption of equilibrium. Instead, he focuses on the study of the 'constantly changing environment' and society as 'a process in time' (ibid.:5). As I will argue his process is still very much structural, however. In contrast to structure, Barth makes individual action his centre piece that aggregates to higher political levels in temporal processes. In the following analysis, I will complement my analysis of the two core texts mentioned above with methodological writings comparing Barth's and Leach's account of political processes in Pakistan and Burma respectively.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Essay from the year 2012 in the subject Pedagogy - Science, Theory, Anthropology, grade: 65, University of Cambridge, language: English, abstract: Compare, contrast, and assess attempts by at least two anthropologists to analyse politics in terms of temporal processes rather than (a-temporal) structure. Edmund Leach published his account of the Kachin society in Highland Burma in 1954, fourteen years after Evans-Pritchard's and Fortes' classical structural-functionalist collection on 'African Political Systems'. Only four years after Leach, Barth's 'Swat Pathans' enters the debate. Both Barth and Leach differ remarkably in their methodological approach fousing on change and process. While Radcliffe-Brown (Fortes & Evans-Pritchard, 2006:vi) proclaims in his preface to 'African Political Systems' that the aim of anthropology is to 'discover the universal, essential, characters which belong to all human societies, past, present and future', Leach (Leach, 2004) heavily criticises the implicit underlying assumption of equilibrium. Instead, he focuses on the study of the 'constantly changing environment' and society as 'a process in time' (ibid.:5). As I will argue his process is still very much structural, however. In contrast to structure, Barth makes individual action his centre piece that aggregates to higher political levels in temporal processes. In the following analysis, I will complement my analysis of the two core texts mentioned above with methodological writings comparing Barth's and Leach's account of political processes in Pakistan and Burma respectively.

More books from GRIN Verlag

Cover of the book Friedrich Nietzsche und Sigmund Freud - ein Vergleich aus moralanthropologischer Sicht by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Implementierung des medizinischen Kommunikationsprotokolls POCT1-A auf einem embedded Linux Device by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Zur Bedeutung von Subkulturen für die Entwicklung von Jugendlichen am Beispiel der Techno-Szene by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Entwicklung des Parameters 'Erzählerpräsenz' in der russischen Prosa by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Die indigene Bevölkerung Guatemalas zwischen Bürgerkrieg und 'Frieden' by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Übertragbarkeit der Balanced Scorecard auf eine Polizeibehörde by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Luthers Briefwechsel auf der Wartburg - Stillstand der Reformation? by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Neubausiedlungen in München by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Leiblichkeit und Interaktion by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Pricing Behavior on the Web. Luxury Hotels in Germany by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Kapitalflussrechnung: Aufbau/Struktur/Aussage nach HGB/IFRS by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Strategisches Marketing deutscher EVU - Entwicklung eines Markenkonzepts für ein EVU und Skizzen zu dessen Umsetzung im Rahmen einer integrierten Marketingkommunikation by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Soziale Deutungsmuster der ostdeutschen Jugendlichen by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Textszenario zu einem Wintergedicht by Johannes Lenhard
Cover of the book Fünfte Analyse des Rationalisierungspotentials einer kooperativen Lagerhaltung (Inventory Pooling) by Johannes Lenhard
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy