Mary Douglas (1) (1921–2007)

This book consists of a lot of squabbling with other anthropologists and one needs to be familiar with the work of those whom Douglas disagrees with to follow much of the early part. Suffice it to say Fraser is particularly singled out for some rough treatment over his proclivity to apply personal psychology to groups. She likes , as much as she likes anyone, Durkheim for his belief that the primary role of religion is to enforce social cohesion and form. I would have greatly preferred to have begun with some definitions rather than to jump in with controversy, a kind of in media res opening. It does not help that she isn't a very graceful writer. That said towards the end she talks about how a society structures a theology that must incorporate what stands outside of it, i.e. how to account for evil. Discord is a theme as she represents the notion that dirt and pollution represent disorder and chaos. She investigated the Lele tribe which was obsessed with form and food with extensive prohibitions. She uses their pangolin cult to illustrate the outlier aspect of the Lele embracing that which defies their extensive categorizing.… (altro)