This book explores human–animal relations amongst the Bebelibe of West Africa, with a focus on the establishment of totemic relationships with animals, what these relationships entail and the consequences of abusing them. Employing and developing the concepts of "presencing" and "the ontological penumbra" to shed light on the manner in which people make present and engage in the world around them, including the shadowy spaces that have to be negotiated in order to make sense of the world, the author shows how these concepts account for empathetic and intersubjective encounters with non-human animals. Grounded in rich ethnographic work, Totemism and Human–Animal Relations in West Africa offers a reappraisal of totemism and considers the implications of the ontological turn in understanding human–animal relations. As such, it will appeal to anthropologists, sociologists and anthrozoologists concerned with human–animal interaction.

- 208 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
Totemism and Human–Animal Relations in West Africa
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Table of contents
- Cover
- Half Title
- Series Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 An historical review of totemism
- 2 Penumbras, ontons and presencing
- 3 Hunting and domestication
- 4 Killing and consumption
- 5 Body-shifting
- 6 Totem crocodiles and pythons
- 7 Ontology of human–animal relations
- Conclusion
- Glossary
- References
- Index
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Yes, you can access Totemism and Human–Animal Relations in West Africa by Sharon Merz in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & African History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.