Natural Symbols: Explorations in CosmologyIn this now classic work Mary Douglas shows how certain forms of social life bring forth regularly the same varieties of symbolic expression. Hierarchy treats the body as a hierarchy; sect treats it as a closed system; individualism treats it as pervasive energy. Political movements as well as religions have their rituals, medicine, ethics, educational theory, aesthetics, a huge range of judgements fall into line behind the standard cultural bias. |
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Aaron Wildavsky analysis anthropologists anti-ritualism Anuak attitudes Bantu beliefs Bernstein bias bodily body boundaries cargo cult Catholic child Christian Church classification concerned contrast cosmology cult culture dangerous develop diagram Dinka Dinka-Nuer distinctive divine doctrine Douglas Durkheim efficacy elaborated code enclave Eucharist Exclusive Brethren expression external flesh formal Friday abstinence geomancy grid and group Hadza hierarchy human ibid idea individual institutions kind leaders less Lienhardt London Maccabees magical Mandari Mary Douglas Mbuti means millennial moral movements natural symbols Navaho Nuer organization pattern political possible pressures primitive problem purity pygmies recognize rejection religion restricted code ritual ritualist roles rules sacramental sacred contagion sectarian sects secular sense social categories social control social environment social relations social structure social system society sociology sociology of religion speech codes spirit strong grid suggests symbolic system theory trance tribal universe values verbal witch witchcraft zero