Matter Out of Place
Anthropological Explorations of Bodies, Dirt and Morality
Published on 1. January 2025
Book
Hardback
204 pages
978-1-80539-683-3 (ISBN)
Description
Anthropologists often use 'pollution' to refer to social and individual challenges to a cultural idea of purity, which may be seen in terms of religious practice, foodstuffs and social differentiation. It has been used as a trope to explore ideas of dirt and place, moral inversion and reinforcement, disgust and taboo.
The book is an invitation to consider the continued relevance of Mary Douglas' conceptualization of pollution and dirt as 'matter out of place' in relation to contemporary circumstances. Its ethnographic and theoretical contributions cover diverse contexts, ranging from Europe to Africa, the Caribbean, India and Outer Space.
The book is an invitation to consider the continued relevance of Mary Douglas' conceptualization of pollution and dirt as 'matter out of place' in relation to contemporary circumstances. Its ethnographic and theoretical contributions cover diverse contexts, ranging from Europe to Africa, the Caribbean, India and Outer Space.
Reviews / Votes
"The chapters are engaging and of an ambitious nature. I found the collection to be highly readable and also liked the array of different topics and perspectives covered." * Kirsten Bell, Imperial CollegeMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Library binding
Illustrations
Bibliography; Index
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
443 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-80539-683-3 (9781805396833)
DOI
10.3167/9781805396833
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Rebecca Lynch | Roland Littlewood | Joseph Calabrese
Matter Out of Place
Anthropological Explorations of Bodies, Dirt and Morality
E-Book
01/2025
1st Edition
Berghahn Books
€24.49
Available for download
Rebecca Lynch | Roland Littlewood | Joseph Calabrese
Matter Out of Place
Anthropological Explorations of Bodies, Dirt and Morality
E-Book
01/2025
1st Edition
Berghahn Books
€24.49
Available for download
Persons
Rebecca Lynch is Lecturer in Medical Anthropology at the University of Exeter. Her work explores the body and biomedicine, particularly bodily fluids and boundaries, bodily relations with non-humans (e.g., technologies), morality and biomedical categorization.
Content
Introduction: Anthropological Ideas of Pollution Revisited: Categories, Values and the Legacy of Mary Douglas
Rebecca Lynch and Roland Littlewood
Part I: Bodies, Dirt and Place
Chapter 1. Three Achievements of Dirt: Disgust, Humour, Emphasis
Sjaak van der Geest
Appendix: Akan (Twi) Proverbs about 'Shit' and Related Terms
Chapter 2. Leaky Bodies and The Dynamic Relationality of Matter and Place
Rebecca Lynch
Chapter 3. 'Yesterday's Coffee Is Tomorrow's Coffee': The Body, Human Waste and Off-World Living
Aaron Parkhurst and David Jeevendrampillai
Part II: Notions of Purity and Moral Inversion
Chapter 4. Filth As Faith: Stories Of Antinomian Pollution
Roland Littlewood
Chapter 5. Orgasmic Excess and Orgasmic Alienation: Capitalism as Pollution
Ellie Reynolds
Chapter 6. Psychopharmacological Purity Doctrines and The Inertia of Cruelty: Using Mary Douglas and Rene Girard to Understand the War on Drugs
Joseph Calabrese
Part III: Disgust
Chapter 7. The Abominations of Leviticus Reconsidered: Anthropology and Psychology of Pollution
Simon Dein
Chapter 8. The Power of Taboo: Anthropological and Neurocognitive Perspectives
Quinton Deeley
Afterword: Radioactive Pollution in Nevada and Kazakhstan: A Non-Scientific Voice for Victims
Andre Singer
Index
Rebecca Lynch and Roland Littlewood
Part I: Bodies, Dirt and Place
Chapter 1. Three Achievements of Dirt: Disgust, Humour, Emphasis
Sjaak van der Geest
Appendix: Akan (Twi) Proverbs about 'Shit' and Related Terms
Chapter 2. Leaky Bodies and The Dynamic Relationality of Matter and Place
Rebecca Lynch
Chapter 3. 'Yesterday's Coffee Is Tomorrow's Coffee': The Body, Human Waste and Off-World Living
Aaron Parkhurst and David Jeevendrampillai
Part II: Notions of Purity and Moral Inversion
Chapter 4. Filth As Faith: Stories Of Antinomian Pollution
Roland Littlewood
Chapter 5. Orgasmic Excess and Orgasmic Alienation: Capitalism as Pollution
Ellie Reynolds
Chapter 6. Psychopharmacological Purity Doctrines and The Inertia of Cruelty: Using Mary Douglas and Rene Girard to Understand the War on Drugs
Joseph Calabrese
Part III: Disgust
Chapter 7. The Abominations of Leviticus Reconsidered: Anthropology and Psychology of Pollution
Simon Dein
Chapter 8. The Power of Taboo: Anthropological and Neurocognitive Perspectives
Quinton Deeley
Afterword: Radioactive Pollution in Nevada and Kazakhstan: A Non-Scientific Voice for Victims
Andre Singer
Index