Writing Against Culture? Reflections on Ethnographic Work in Lila Abu-Lughod and Clifford Geertz
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Abstract
Lila Abu-Lughod offers a valuable critique of anthropological research. For her, the concept of culture serves to legitimize hegemonic political discourses and to freeze differences and distances among people. This article reflects on that invitation.
Specifically, it discusses whether the proposal of writing against culture moves away from a hermeneutics that operates under the logic of contrast. To this end, a methodology based on the idea of connection is subjected to critique. Likewise, Abu-Lughod’s critique of Clifford Geertz’s research proposal is emphasized.
The article shows the relations and distances between the two authors, underlining their convergence regarding the idea of familiarity and the complexity of assuming it in research practice.
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The author/s grant exclusive license without temporary limit for the manuscript to be published in Cuadernos-FHyCS edited by Humanides the Faculty of Social Science, National University of Jujuy.
References
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