
- 208 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
The ingenious ways dilemmas are addressed in non-Western traditions Dilemmas explores some of the most pressing existential problems of our times, from climate change, political conflict, and social injustice, to balancing one's own needs against those of others. Pushing back against the tendency to think of dilemmas as clear-cut binary choices, renowned anthropologist Michael Jackson shows us some of the ingenious ways that dilemmas are addressed in non-Western thought and oral traditions, as well as in Western philosophy.Drawing on examples from myth, literature, and his extensive ethnographic fieldwork in West Africa and Aboriginal Australia, each of thirteen chapters examines a particular dilemma and how it is experienced, circumvented, or reimagined. From the struggles of the Aboriginal people of Central Australia for land rights to Walter Benjamin's harrowing journey across the Pyrenees as he fled German-occupied France in 1940; from the story of a suburban family in Aotearoa New Zealand adjusting to life in a commune to the dilemmas of migrants from the Global South trying to reconcile their search for a better life with their longing for home—Jackson interweaves philosophical reflections, insights from his anthropological fieldwork, and individual life stories.In striking a balance between our contradictory impulses to be both apart from and together with others, Jackson makes a case against identitarian essentialism, showing us how the oppositional thinking through which we often frame our contemporary dilemmas may be overcome.
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
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Introductory Remarks and Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Chapter 1. Between Fact and Fiction
- Chapter 2. African Dilemma Tales
- Chapter 3. Forgiving and Forgetting
- Chapter 4. Quandaries of Wellbeing
- Chapter 5. Impossible Choices
- Chapter 6. “I Am Here, I Am There”: Historical Wrongs and Redressive Rites
- Chapter 7. Between Exile and Death
- Chapter 8. Giving In or Going On
- Chapter 9. Being of Two Minds
- Chapter 10. Between Belonging and Being Out of Place
- Chapter 11. Staying Put or Moving Away
- Chapter 12. Science and Religion
- Chapter 13. Between One and One Another
- Coda
- Notes
- Index