文化・社会人類学 — 全 下位分類

This book systematically examines Chinese astroarchaeology from the Neolithic period onward, aiming to reconstruct premodern knowledge systems and articulate the intellectual foundations of traditional Chinese culture.

As an interdisciplinary field, Chinese astroarchaeology explores cosmological frameworks and the origins of civilization in ancient China. The book unveils the remarkable astronomical accomplishments of the ancient Chinese and investigates the interplay between science, technology, and traditional culture. It also discusses how the origins of astronomy relate to the origins of civilization itself. Drawing on archaeological excavations, ancient artifacts, and historical documents, the study integrates research methods and findings from archaeology, paleography, the study of ancient literature, ethnology, and astronomy. Taking a theoretical and practical approach, the book establishes a framework for Chinese astroarchaeology, opening new avenues for studying the origins of Chinese civilization and providing insights into ancient Chinese political, religious, philosophical, and scientific history.

The book will appeal to scholars and students of ancient Chinese history, the history of science, archaeology, astroarchaeology, art history, and cultural heritage studies.

Since it first mesmerized Western audiences in the early 20th century, Balinese masked dance-drama (Topeng) has drawn sustained scholarly attention. Yet until now, much of that attention has been filtered through non-Balinese perspectives. Telling Other Tales seeks to redress this imbalance by presenting Topeng as a living, plural tradition-one whose meaning is co-created by Balinese and non-Balinese performers, scholars and other observers alike. In these essays, academic rigor and personal testimony sit in rich dialogue. Historians, anthropologists and theatre scholars engage alongside Balinese priests, musicians and Topeng practitioners, weaving together formal analysis with evocative reflections. Together, they illuminate how this ancient theatrical form is not only studied, but lived, acted and re-imagined in the everyday.

This volume will appeal to scholars of performance, Asian studies and cultural anthropology-or to anyone curious about how traditional forms both shape and are shaped by the many people who carry them forward.

What would anthropology look like if the South were our North? This book turns the map upside down and calls for transforming anthropology from a singular to a plural perspective, which recognizes the Global South as a site of original theory and research rather than merely a source of information.

The book acknowledges the structure of racialized and gendered inequalities within which ethnographic research has historically been, and continues to be, conducted, and recognizes the hierarchies created in the West regarding non-Western anthropologists. The authors in this book offer fresh and accessible reflections on their anthropological journeys in the Global South, North, and the worlds in between. They share their ethnographic insights and personal stories to answer the question of why anthropology still needs the Global South.

Why Anthropology Needs the Global South is an essential read for anthropology students, professionals and teachers, as well as for anyone seeking a compass for navigating the contemporary world.

Mongolian Healing: Knowledge, Transmission and Practice Across Inner Asia explores the rich and diverse medicinal healing practices by Mongolian communities across Mongolia, Inner Mongolia and Kalmykia.

This edited volume brings together scholars from various disciplines to examine knowledge systems and practises related to healing therapies, including nomadic healing, ritual practises including shamanic healing, water as a source for healing in the landscape and the art of Mongolian bonesetting. The second part of the book delves into the institutionalization of Mongolian medicine across Mongolia and Inner Mongolia, tracing its adaptation and its continuing presence in both urban and rural contexts, within contemporary healthcare systems, such as the hospital, laboratory and clinic. Through a Mongolian-oriented lens, this volume sheds light on the resilience and adaptability of Mongolian healing and medical traditions in the face of social, political and cultural transformations across history. Combining historical, anthropological and medical perspectives, it offers the first comprehensive account of how these practices have continued to thrive and adapt, bridging ancient knowledge with contemporary applications.

As a part of broader Asian medical traditions, this volume is an essential resource for scholars, practitioners and anyone interested in the dynamic interplay of ancient wisdom and ongoing innovation across Inner Asia.

Examines the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster

The 2011 Fukushima Dai'ichi nuclear disaster was the worst industrial nuclear catastrophe to hit Japan. It was a major event, rated at the highest severity, which released radioactive elements into the power plant's surrounding environment when back-up systems failed and could not sufficiently cool the nuclear reactors. At least 164,000 people were permanently or temporarily displaced.

Radioactive Governance offers an ethnographic look at how the disaster was handled by Japan. Unlike prior nuclear-related narratives, such as those surrounding Chernobyl or Hiroshima, which focused on themes of harm, trauma, and victimization, the Japanese government consistently put forward a discourse of minimal or no radiation-related dangers, a gradual bringing home of former evacuees, a restarting of nuclear power plants, and the promotion of a resilient mindset in the face of adversity. This narrative worked to counter other understandings of recovery, such as those of worried citizens unsuccessfully fighting for permanent evacuation because they were afraid to go back to their homes.

Providing a rich theorization of how both governments and citizens shape narratives about catastrophic events, Radioactive Governance not only displays how Fukushima became a story of hope and resilience rather than of victimization, but also how radioactive governance shifted from the nuclear secrecy that characterized the Cold War era to relying on international organizations and domestic citizens to co-manage the aftermath of disasters.

Reproductive Boundaries examines the shifting boundaries of prenatal care in Switzerland, focusing on the Pregnancy Support Center's innovative psychosocial model. By redefining the territory of care, the Center extends its reach beyond the medical domain, exemplifying the reproductivization of life, the increasing organization of various life aspects through a reproductive lens. The book explores how this approach challenges traditional borders between medical and psychosocial care, offering an alternative to Switzerland's heavily medicalized reproductive care. Through ethnographic insights into reproductive talk, it reveals how psychosocial advisors shift the boundaries of reproductive care, balancing support with broader state goals of reproductive governance. Set against Switzerland's history of stratified reproductive policies, the study critically examines how psychosocial care reshapes the landscape of pregnancy, raising questions about surveillance and evolving gender roles. This thought-provoking work invites readers to reconsider the limits and possibilities of care in a fragmented society.

This book is also freely available online as an open access digital edition.

This book examines the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on how people experienced dying, death and bereavement from early 2020 onwards. This interdisciplinary collection draws together international examples rooted in empirical research from death studies scholars to make sense of these impacts. The collection includes a wide range of insights from how personal and societal responses to the pandemic shaped the ways people talked and thought about death, to the provision of palliative and intensive care, and changes in funerary practices. The book demonstrates how social responses to the pandemic shaped death in this historical moment and explores potential lasting legacies, such as altered rituals. Curated from articles originally published in the journal Mortality with a new preface by the editors, this collection showcases why death studies is crucial for understanding not only the COVID-19 pandemic but also future pandemics and mass death events.

This volume will be essential reading for students, scholars, healthcare professionals, public health researchers and grief counsellors in medical anthropology, medical humanities, thanatology, sociology, bereavement studies and palliative care.

The chapters in this book were originally published in Mortality.

This book offers an anthropological exploration of the lullaby, a type of music found in nearly all human societies. The chapters review diverse ethnographic cases, from bedtime routines in Western societies to historical and Indigenous practices. Moving beyond common definitions of the lullaby, the author integrates 'diverging' instances of lulling, including mythological narratives, herding songs used to soothe cattle, sleep-inducing music composed for monarchs, electronic musical dolls, and protective spells. The work considers how these varied examples can add layers and depth to our understanding of what it means to lull a child. The investigation displays an innovative approach to musical comparison by investigating the 'partial connections' that different traditions display with one another. Positioned at the meeting point of comparative musicology and ethnomusicology, the study combines comparative gestures with original fieldwork and acknowledges both the importance of cross-cultural similarities and ethnographic entanglements that complicate generalisations. Starting from four European traditions (the Irish suantrai, the Georgian iavnana, the Ancient Roman nenia, and the Sami dovdna), the study delves into themes of power, spirituality, death, magic, technologies, and Indigenous ontologies, which echo across diverse cultural contexts without being quite universal. It will be of interest to scholars of anthropology, music, folklore, and beyond.

From an acclaimed archaeological writer, a worldwide history of hunting

"Offers a comprehensive, authoritative history tracing hunting's influence on culture and society through the ages."-Bill Heavy, Wall Street Journal

Hunting is one of humanity's most ancient and universal activities. It has been embedded in every facet of our lives, shaping social bonds, power hierarchies, and interactions with the spirit world. This book tells the story of how hunting evolved from a means of survival practiced with clubs and spears to a genteel display of royal power, and how it has become, in today's world, complicated and hotly contested.

In this wide-ranging study, Brian Fagan discusses how Neanderthals stalked prey and killed at close range, how hunting evolved as a political spectacle, and how commercial and trophy hunting precipitated an ecological crisis. He invites us to hunt with Charlemagne, explains how there was more to the demise of North American bison herds than rifles, and describes how influential figures such as John Muir, George Bird Grinnell, and Theodore Roosevelt fought for conservation during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Filled with lively stories, fascinating discoveries, and compelling characters, Fagan's exploration of hunting-a companion to his Fishing-offers an informed and entertaining history of an essential human pursuit.

This book brings together recent results of extensive and varied archaeological, stable isotope and ancient DNA research from the south coast of Tierra del Fuego and carefully integrates them with earlier archaeological, ethnographical and paleoenvironmental works in the region. Fuegian societies have fascinated travelers, naturalists and scientists during the last two centuries. The chapters analyze and review data on demographic trends, the trophic relations between human and faunal communities in ancient food webs and population genetics, providing a comprehensive picture of the hunter-gatherer history in the Fuegian Andes.

During the last decade, new perspectives and methodologies in archaeological research have taken place in the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego. Now, new results are emerging on the long-term interaction between human and coastal ecosystems. This book attempts to tell this state of the art in a comprehensive and approachable manner. In this sense, the book synthesizes current research that will be accessible to students and professionals alike.

All cultures change - but some aspects change more rapidly than others. Drawing on extensive experience of various cultures, in this book David Lewis develops a model that differentiates between the rates of change in different aspects of a culture.Culture teaches us how to relate to other human beings, so David also explores aspects of what it means to be human. Some distinctively human features that are influenced by culture include the development of a sense of humour, a sensitivity to the voice of one's conscience and a capacity to look towards the future with hope.

This book explores the interconnections between biodiversity, cultural knowledge, and resource management in Lanna in Northern Thailand, and Northeast India. By examining traditional practices, economic activities, and gender roles, the book contributes to the repertoire of local knowledge concerning resource management which may lead to policies that balance conservation with sustainable development. Today, urban and rural communities worldwide, especially in tropical regions, face crises in economic, agricultural, environmental, and cultural dimensions. The breakdown of human-nature relationships has become an urgent issue that people globally are beginning to recognize. Crucial research questions in biodiversity studies are: how can we extract lessons from various field studies to restore local communities' capacity to manage biodiversity? How can we empower communities to regain control over production, utilization, and genetic resource development, including knowledge about food, medicine, and other natural resources? Relevant to scholars in anthropology, environmental social sciences, ethnic and cultural studies, this is a timely volume in sustainable development studies in Asia.

This book approaches the study from architectural perspectives, analyzing the collection of brochs' features and classifying them based on regional differences. By identifying regional standard models and hypothesizing design schemes, it reveals insights into the methods and strategies used by ancient builders. This understanding not only aids in interpreting brochs but also makes these uncertain archaeological sites more readable and accessible. The major conclusion of this book is the framework of interpretive conservation, offering practical guidance for the consolidation, restoration, and reconstruction of brochs. It advocates for holistic conservation projects that move beyond preservation, proposing dynamic changes to sites that enhance interpretation and public engagement. With its innovative approach and comprehensive analysis, this book is an indispensable resource for archaeologists, architects, and heritage professionals, offering ideas with potential applications to broader heritage conservation efforts worldwide.

Collaborative Archaeology brings together a diverse group of scholars and tribal cultural resource professionals to showcase how Indigenous knowledge is transforming archaeological practice. Edited by Chris Loendorf, this volume features twelve case studies that highlight the power of partnership between Native American communities and archaeologists. These collaborations not only enrich our understanding of the past but also affirm Indigenous cultural continuity. From the establishment of Tribal Historic Preservation Offices to tribally led research initiatives, the book illustrates how Native voices are reshaping the field.

This timely collection bridges disciplinary divides between archaeology, history, and traditional knowledge, challenging outdated narratives that separate "prehistory" from living Indigenous communities. Contributors demonstrate how ethical, community-based research can lead to more accurate and respectful interpretations of the past. Collaborative Archaeology is essential reading for scholars, students, and practitioners committed to scientific understanding and cultural preservation.

Contributors
Nicole Armstrong-Best
Skylar Begay
Jennifer Bess
Hannah F. Chavez
Robert B. Ciaccio
Shannon Cowell
William H. Doelle
Karl A. Hoerig
Anabel Galindo
Barnaby V. Lewis
Chris Loendorf
Brian Medchill
Linda Morgan
Laurene G. Montero
Stephen E. Nash
Eloise Pedro
Glen E. Rice
Teresa Rodrigues
Hoski Schaafsma
Thomas E. Sheridan
Katrina Soke
Lindsey Vogel-Teeter
Anastasia Walhovd
Kelly Washington
Reylynne Williams
M. Kyle Woodson
Aaron M. Wright

This book examines our understanding of the ways in which we produce and consume archaeological knowledge and proposes that this should play a greater role in our attempts to describe and comprehend the nature and purpose of archaeology, and the nature of archaeological knowledge. During the past fifty years prehistoric archaeologists have sought to promote or oppose several redefinitions of archaeological goals and approaches that have emphasized, variously, the liberating or constraining power of critical self-reflection. While practitioners have continued to expand the storehouse of archaeological data, they have also been engaged in active investigation of archaeological goals and approaches, and in intensifying debate over what it is proper or relevant for practitioners to do. Prehistoric archaeology is now much more than a method of data collection and analysis which is transformed into culture history (or exemplifications of material culture theory) by the acts of comparison and interpretation.

The central premise of this book is that the kind of understanding sought here should significantly improve our ability to work towards convincing solutions to many of the practical puzzles and problems with which we currently concern ourselves. The author also argues that this understanding will help to redefine the terms under which the collectivity of archaeological practitioners can be considered to be a functioning community.

What does it mean to live through a world coming undone? How do people carry on amid rupture, loss, and grief? Decolonial Endurance explores these questions through the turbulent lives of Indigenous Lisu subsistence farmers in China's Eastern Himalayas, bordering Myanmar and Tibet. Like many of China's Indigenous borderlands, this mountainous region has long borne the force of encroaching Chinese state power. Since the 1980s, the Chinese state has been compelling the Lisu to give up their subsistence lifeways, move into urban settlements, and send their children to government boarding schools. In exchange for the so-called gifts of development - healthcare, income, and education - they suffer environmental and social catastrophes such as mass landslides, strange new illnesses, and toxic food.

Drawing on over a decade of engagement with the Lisu, Ting Hui Lau takes readers into the world of ex-shamans, heart-pained mothers, restless spirits, and demon-mad migrants as they grapple with the fallout from state development, which Lau argues is the latest phase in a centuries-long project of settler colonialism along China's Southwest frontier. At once a portrayal of loss and an ethnography of hope, Lau chronicles Lisu worldmaking amid this destruction, centering their quiet resistance through everyday acts of communal caretaking. In a time of escalating geopolitical and ecological crisis, this book calls for a new decolonial politics rooted in the transformative power of endurance.

Since the early 2000s, the Canadian government has attempted reconciliation with Indigenous nations through varied efforts: treaty processes, government commissions, rebranding campaigns for settler-owned businesses, workshops for state and local officials, school curriculum changes, and a recently christened national holiday However, as Joseph Weiss argues, these state-driven initiatives reinforce Indigenous subordination to the settler state. This incisive study of the varied responses from both Indigenous Nations and individuals to reconciliation illuminates how it is implicated in ongoing colonial erasure.

Critically engaging with a variety of fields, including Indigenous studies, anthropology, history, political theory, semiotics, and museum studies, Weiss captures the multiple scales at which these contested dynamics unfold and explores their underlying technologies of erasure. Irreconcilable unpacks how reconciliation offers amends for anti-Indigenous violence while disavowing responsibility for that violence, and argues that settler promises of reconciliation cannot be reconciled to the fact of Indigenous sovereignty. Nevertheless, Weiss illustrates how Indigenous Peoples refuse erasure at every turn, instead building alternate futures and lived worlds that are not always already colonially overdetermined.