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Some Cases for Culture

Some Cases for Culture This article briefly explores the underlying analogy between culture and language common in American anthropology and related fields. Certain key assumptions about culture – among them systematicity, homogeneity, sharedness, and boundedness – derive in part from this analogy. Three points are central: first, that these operating assumptions are interpretively and rhetorically powerful but can lead to particularly static models; second, that these are not necessarily inherent features of language itself, i.e., that the language end of the analogy may be misunderstood; and, third, that the use of a case approach, one tracking the making and transformation of cultural practice over time, can help us better account for the complex relationships among culture, social life, and socialization. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Human Development Karger

Some Cases for Culture

Brenneis, Don
Human Development , Volume 45 (4): 6 – Aug 1, 2002
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Publisher
Karger
Copyright
© 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel
ISSN
0018-716X
eISSN
1423-0054
DOI
10.1159/000064987
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

This article briefly explores the underlying analogy between culture and language common in American anthropology and related fields. Certain key assumptions about culture – among them systematicity, homogeneity, sharedness, and boundedness – derive in part from this analogy. Three points are central: first, that these operating assumptions are interpretively and rhetorically powerful but can lead to particularly static models; second, that these are not necessarily inherent features of language itself, i.e., that the language end of the analogy may be misunderstood; and, third, that the use of a case approach, one tracking the making and transformation of cultural practice over time, can help us better account for the complex relationships among culture, social life, and socialization.

Journal

Human Development – Karger

Published: Aug 1, 2002

Keywords: Methodology; Language; Case studies; Culture

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