Envisioning Power
Ideologies of Dominance and Crisis
Eric R. Wolf(Author)
University of California Press
1st Edition
Published on 11. January 1999
Book
Hardback
310 pages
978-0-520-21536-8 (ISBN)
Description
This text explores the historical relationship of ideas, power, and culture. Responding to anthropolgy's long reliance on a concept of culture that takes little account of power, it is argued that power is crucial in shaping the circumstances of cultural production. It also demonstrates that social-science notions of ideology incorporate power but disregard the ways ideas respond to cultural promptings connect through the medium of culture. Using three societies, Kwakiutl Indians of the Northwest Pacific coast, the Aztecs of pre-Hispanic Mexico and National Socialist Germany, to study, it asks how these societies faced tension posed by ecological, social, political, or psychological crisis, and prompted ideological responses that draw on distinctive, historically rooted cultural understandings. In each study it is analysed how the regnant ideology intertwines with power around the pivotal relationship that govern social labour.
More details
Edition
First Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Berkerley
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
3 b-w photos
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
726 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-520-21536-8 (9780520215368)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
01/1999
1st Edition
Naval Institute Press
€30.99
Available for download
Person
Eric R. Wolf, (1923-1999) wrote Europe and the People Without History (UC Press), and numerous other books. He was Distinguished Professor of Anthropology (Emeritus) at H. Lehman College and Graduate School, City University of New York.
Content
PREFACE
I
Introduction
2
Contested Concepts
3
The Kwakiutl
4
The Aztecs
5
National Socialist Germany
6
Coda
NOTES
REFERENCES
INDEX
I
Introduction
2
Contested Concepts
3
The Kwakiutl
4
The Aztecs
5
National Socialist Germany
6
Coda
NOTES
REFERENCES
INDEX