Anthropology is shifting focus from the suffering subject toward the concept of the good
In short: An anthropological analysis suggests that the discipline's focus has moved from studying radically different societies to examining the suffering subject. The author argues that while this shift addressed previous challenges, it may have also diminished the field's critical capacity.
The author traces the historical transition in anthropological focus, proposing a new direction: an anthropology of the good. This theoretical exploration aims to recover the critical strengths of earlier ethnographic work while avoiding its historical pitfalls.
As a theoretical argument, the paper does not rely on empirical data from a specific study population but rather on a conceptual critique of the discipline's evolution.
Why it matters: The paper proposes a new theoretical direction for anthropology to regain its critical edge.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Robbins (2013). Beyond the suffering subject: toward an anthropology of the good. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute.
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