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3 Interpretive Anthropology of Clifford Geertz Univerzita Karlova v Praze Filozofická fakulta Ústav etnologie DIPLOMOVÁ PRÁCE Daniel Hájek A comparison of selected anthropological theories in view of their pragmatic value Srovnání vybraných antropologických teorií z hlediska jejich pragmatické hodnoty Praha 2016 Vedoucí práce: doc. PhDr. František Vrhel, CSc. Poděkování: Tímto bych chtěl poděkovat všem, bez nichž by tato práce nemohla vzniknout. Vedoucímu této práce doc. PhDr. Františku Vrhelovi, CSc. za jeho toleranci k obskurním tématům, a též svým kolegům Mgr. Pavlu Šmídovi a Mgr. et Mgr. Jaroslavu Křížovi za pomoc při korekturách a editaci textu. Můj dík patří též Universität Hamburg a nadaci Schnabel Stiftung, za poskytnutí příhodného pracovního prostředí a nezbytné literatury. Prohlášení: Prohlašuji, že jsem diplomovou práci vypracoval samostatně, že jsem řádně citoval všechny použité prameny a literaturu a že práce nebyla využita v rámci jiného vysokoškolského studia či k získání jiného nebo stejného titulu. V Břeclavi dne 12. srpna 2016 …………………………………. Jméno autora Abstract The study deals with the problem of applicability of two anthropological theories, structural functionalism and interpretive anthropology of Clifford Geertz. By applicability is meant what concrete difference using of one or the other theory brings about in ethnography. Each of the theories is at first thoroughly examined with emphasis on its possible aims, assumptions, and consequences for an ethnographer. Then each theory is put to test in examination of one particular ethnography associated with the theory. Evan's Pritchard's The Nuer serves as an instance of structural functionalism. Clifford Geertz's Negara as an example of interpretative analysis. Structural functionalism is shown to provide an ethnographer with a much more definite guidance which contributes to better possibilities of verification and comparability of the results than interpretive anthropology. Apart from the main subject, the study is concerned with more general questions, especially related to non-existence of a paradigm in anthropology and some of its causes. Keywords: structural functionalism, Radcliffe-Brown, Evans-Pritchard, The Nuer, interpretive anthropology, Clifford Geertz, Negara, ethnography, theory, anthropology, applicability of a theory Abstrakt Studie se zabývá problémem praktické uplatnitelnosti dvou antropologických teorií, strukturálního funkcionalismu a interpretativní antropologie Clifforda Geertze. Uplatnitelnost se vztahuje k otázce, jak se užití jedné či druhé teorie konkrétně projeví v analýze etnografických dat. Každá z teorií je nejdříve podrobně rozebrána s důrazem na její možné cíle a přínosy, předpoklady na nichž staví, a důsledky které z ní plynou pro etnografa. Poté jsou teorie zkoumány na příkladu jejich konkrétního uplatnění v etnografických monografiích. Za příklad uplatnění strukturálního funkcionalismu je zvolen titul The Nuer od Evanse-Pritcharda. Interpretativní antropologii reprezentuje monografie Negara Clifforda Geertze. V závěru je konstatováno, že strukturální funkcionalismus poskytuje mnohem určitější vedení pro analýzu, z čehož vyplývá i lepší ověřitelnost a srovnatelnost jeho výsledků. Kromě hlavního předmětu se studie potýká i s obecnějšími otázkami ohledně ne-existence paradigmatu v antropologii a některých příčin tohoto stavu. Klíčová slova: strukturální funkcionalismus, Radcliffe-Brown, Evans-Pritchard, Nuerové, interpretativní antropologie, Clifford Geertz, Negara, etnografie, teorie, antropologie, uplatnitelnost teorie Contents 1 Introduction and some preliminary thoughts ................................................................. 7 1.1 Pragmatic value ........................................................................................................ 7 1.2 General idea .............................................................................................................. 7 1.3 Procedure and material ............................................................................................. 8 1.4 Motivation ................................................................................................................ 9 2 Structural Functionalism ................................................................................................ 13 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 13 2.1.1 Label ........................................................................................................................... 13 2.1.2 Context and content briefly outlined .......................................................................... 13 2.2 Theory proper ......................................................................................................... 19 2.2.1 Sources ....................................................................................................................... 19 2.2.2 Laws of nature ............................................................................................................ 20 2.2.3 Classification .............................................................................................................. 22 2.2.4 Model science ............................................................................................................. 23 2.2.5 Functional hypothesis ................................................................................................. 25 2.2.6 Comparison ................................................................................................................ 26 2.2.7 Some problems ........................................................................................................... 28 2.2.8 Social structure ........................................................................................................... 30 2.2.9 Structural form ........................................................................................................... 32 2.2.10 Culture ........................................................................................................................ 33 2.2.11 Function - a few additions .......................................................................................... 34 2.2.12 An appendix of a sort ................................................................................................. 37 2.3 Ethnography ........................................................................................................... 38 2.3.1 The procedure ............................................................................................................. 38 2.3.2 The choice of book ..................................................................................................... 40 2.3.3 The content ................................................................................................................. 42 2.3.4 Some conclusions ....................................................................................................... 53 3 Interpretive anthropology of Clifford Geertz ............................................................... 63 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 63 3.1.1 The Label.................................................................................................................... 63 3.1.2 Interpretive anthropology in secondary literature ...................................................... 63 3.2 Closer look .............................................................................................................. 70 3.2.1 Being public ............................................................................................................... 72 3.2.2 World-view and ethos ................................................................................................. 74 3.2.3 The nature of culture and of its enquiry ..................................................................... 76 3.2.4 Culture as program ..................................................................................................... 78 3.2.5 Culture as text............................................................................................................. 80 3.2.6 Hermeneutics of culture ............................................................................................. 81 3.2.7 Problems with verification ......................................................................................... 84 3.2.8 Generalization ............................................................................................................ 88 3.2.9 Comparison ................................................................................................................ 90 3.2.10 Aims of and stance on the social science ................................................................... 93 3.2.11 A few additions........................................................................................................... 95 3.2.12 Some conclusions ....................................................................................................... 97 3.3 Ethnography – Negara ............................................................................................ 99 3.3.1 The choice of the book ............................................................................................... 99 3.3.2 Content ....................................................................................................................
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