
Labor's Lot
The Power, History, and Culture of Aboriginal Action
Elizabeth A. Povinelli(Author)
University of Chicago Press
Published on 16. May 1994
Book
Paperback/Softback
339 pages
978-0-226-67674-6 (ISBN)
Description
How does an Aboriginal community see itself, its work and its place on the land? Elizabeth Povinelli went to the Belyuen community of northern Australia to show how it draws identity from deep connections between labour, language and the landscape. Her findings challenge Western notions of "productive labour" and long-standing ideas about the role of culture in subsistence economies. In "Labor's Lot", Povinelli shows how everyday activities shape Aboriginal identity and provide cultural meaning. She focuses on the Belyuen women's interactions with the countryside and on Belyuen conflicts with the Australian government over control of local land. Her analysis raises serious questions about the validity of Western theories about labour and culture and their impact on Aboriginal society. Povinelli's focus on women's activities provides an important counterpoint to recent works centering on male roles in hunter-gatherer societies. Her "cultural economy" approach overcomes the dichotomy between the two standard approaches to these studies.
"Labor's Lot" should engage anyone interested in indigenous peoples or in the relationship between culture and economy in contemporary social practice.
"Labor's Lot" should engage anyone interested in indigenous peoples or in the relationship between culture and economy in contemporary social practice.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Chicago
United States
Publishing group
The University of Chicago Press
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 23 mm
Width: 16 mm
Thickness: 2 mm
Weight
510 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-226-67674-6 (9780226676746)
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Schweitzer Classification