Anthropology explores the harsh realities of power and the pursuit of the good life
In short: A theoretical analysis by Sherry Ortner examines shifting trends in anthropology since the 1980s. The research identifies the rise of "dark anthropology," a field focusing on the harsh dimensions of social life, such as inequality, oppression, and the subjective experiences of hopelessness, alongside emerging studies centered on morality and happiness.
The author situates these shifts within the rise of neoliberalism as an economic and governmental force. The work contrasts the study of domination with "anthropologies of the good" and new directions in activism and resistance.
As a theoretical article, the piece provides a conceptual overview of disciplinary trends rather than presenting empirical data from a specific study population.
Why it matters: The study maps how the study of human suffering and the study of human flourishing have emerged as distinct yet related trends in modern anthropology.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Ortner (2016). Dark anthropology and its others. Hau Journal of Ethnographic Theory.
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