Mary Douglas
About this book
This handy, concise book covers the life of Mary Douglas, one of the most important anthropologists of the second half of the 20th century.
Her work focused on how human groups classify one another, and how they resolve the anomalies that then arise. Classification, she argued, emerges from practices of social life, and is a factor in all deep and intractable human disputes.
This biography offers an introduction to how her distinctive approach developed across a long and productive career and how it applies to current pressing issues of social conflict and planetary survival.
From the Preface:
The influence of Professor Dame Mary Douglas (1921-2007) upon each of the social sciences and many of the disciplines in the humanities is vast. The list of her works is also vast, and this presents a problem of choice for the many readers who want to get a general idea of what she wrote and its significance, but who are somewhat baffled about where to begin. Our book offers a short overview and suggests why her key writings remain significant today.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Mary Douglas
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chapter 1. A Biographical Sketch
- Chapter 2. Purity and Danger
- Chapter 3. Four Sides to Every Question
- Chapter 4. Risks and Solidarities
- Chapter 5. Institutions and Thought Styles
- Chapter 6. Ritual and Categories
- Chapter 7. Gifts, Goods and Economic Development
- Chapter 8. Strife
- Conclusion
- Appendix
- Works by Mary Douglas Discussed in the Text
- References
- Index
