ABSTRACT

Implicit Meanings was first published to great acclaim in 1975. It includes writings on the key themes which are associated with Mary Douglas' work and which have had a major influence on anthropological thought, such as food, pollution, risk, animals and myth. The papers in this text demonstrate the importance of seeking to understand beliefs and practices that are implicit and a priori within what might seem to be alien cultures.

part |2 pages

PART 1 Essays on the implicit

chapter |5 pages

Introduction 1975

chapter 1|26 pages

The Lele of the Kasai

chapter 2|13 pages

Social and religious symbolism of the Lele

chapter 3|16 pages

Animals in Lele religious symbolism

chapter 5|18 pages

Sorcery accusations unleashed

The Lele revisited, 1987

chapter 6|4 pages

Looking back on the 1950s essays

part |2 pages

PART 2 Critical essays

chapter |5 pages

Introduction 1975

chapter 7|10 pages

Pollution

chapter 8|15 pages

If the Dogon . . .

chapter 9|15 pages

The meaning of myth

chapter 10|19 pages

Jokes

chapter 12|10 pages

Couvade and menstruation

The relevance of tribal studies

chapter 13|8 pages

The healing rite

chapter 14|5 pages

Obituary of Godfrey Lienhardt

chapter 15|4 pages

Looking back on the 1960s essays

part |2 pages

PART 3 Essays on the a priori

chapter |5 pages

Introduction 1975

chapter 16|14 pages

Environments at risk

chapter 17|13 pages

The depoliticisation of risk

chapter 18|21 pages

Deciphering a meal

chapter 19|32 pages

Self-evidence

chapter 20|26 pages

Rightness of categories

chapter 21|4 pages

Looking back on the 1970s essays