Managing Existence in Naples: Morality, Action and Structure: 104 (Cambridge Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology, Series Number 104) - Softcover

Pardo, Italo

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521566657 ISBN 13: 9780521566650

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2008

Synopsis

Italo Pardo has produced a thoughtful and original account of the moral life of Naples, a city in which the ethics of work, family and neighbourhood exist in complex relationship with the teachings of the church and, crucial to key processes of democracy, with the power and limitations of law, bureaucracy and government. Dr Pardo identifies the importance of strong continuous interaction between material and non-material aspects in the entrepreneurial strategies of the ordinary Neapolitan and shows the ways in which different ethical systems are negotiated in everyday life. Success is measured not only by material gain, but also by satisfying spiritual obligations and meeting the claims of intimate loyalties. This is one of the very few ethnographic studies of a European city; it questions old assumptions and raises fresh issues in the field of urban studies, demonstrating the significance of empirical analysis to mainstream debates in social theory.

About this title

Review

"Managing Existence in Naples is a commendable book....a useful text to use in upper level undergraduate and graduate courses." Harley Schreck, H-Net Reviews

Book Description

Italo Pardo has produced a thoughtful and original account of the moral life of Naples, showing how ethical issues are addressed in everyday life. One of the very few ethnographic studies of a European city, Managing Existence in Naples questions old assumptions and raises fresh issues in the field of urban studies.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521566657
• ISBN 13: 9780521566650
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256