Beyond Agatha Christie: Relationality and critique in anthropological theory.

Eckert, Julia (2016). Beyond Agatha Christie: Relationality and critique in anthropological theory. Anthropological theory, 16(2-3), pp. 241-248. Sage Publications 10.1177/1463499616662574

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Critical anthropological theory needs to be a theory of relationality. Only through a relational theory can we come to a perception of our fundamental commonality and conceptualise difference as being given significance by the unequal relations that we stand in towards each other. A relational theory needs concepts that reflect on the asymmetrical interdependence that shapes the dynamics of power relations, which give rise to institutions of ‘significant difference’. I propose Luc Boltanski’s notion of ‘situation’ as a concept that enables us to grasp the structured contingency that shapes our mutual interdependence. Situation, by making possible the micro-analysis of macro-relations, also provides the conceptual tools to think beyond that which is, towards that which is possible.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

06 Faculty of Humanities > Department of Art and Cultural Studies > Institute of Social Anthropology

UniBE Contributor:

Eckert, Julia

Subjects:

300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology

ISSN:

1463-4996

Publisher:

Sage Publications

Language:

English

Submitter:

Johanna Weidtmann

Date Deposited:

27 Sep 2016 17:33

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:58

Publisher DOI:

10.1177/1463499616662574

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.88402

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/88402

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