Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and Taboo

Douglas, Mary

Published by Frederick A. Praeger, New York, 1966

8vo. "Purity and Danger" is anthropologist and cultural theorist Mary Douglas' best known work. In 1991 the Times Literary Supplement listed it as one of the hundred most influential non-fiction books ever published. "The line of inquiry in Purity and Danger traces the words and meaning of dirt in different contexts. What is regarded as dirt in a given society is any matter considered out of place. (Douglas took that lead from William James.) She attempts to clarify the differences between the sacred, the clean and the unclean in different societies and times, but that did not entail judging religions as pessimistic or optimistic in their understanding of purity or dirt, such as dirt-affirming or otherwise. Through a complex and sophisticated reading of ritual, religion and lifestyle, Douglas challenges Western ideas of pollution and clarified how context and social history are essential."--Wiki Gray cloth. Square tight binding. Mild rubbing and edge wear to dust jacket. Previous owner stamp to front end paper. Sporadic underlining and marginalia in pencil throughout. This timeless exploration is an essential edition to any cultural anthropology or social studies collection. Seller Inventory # 16610

Bibliographic Details

Title: Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts ...
Publisher: Frederick A. Praeger, New York
Publication Date: 1966
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Good
Dust Jacket Condition: Good
Edition: 1st US Edition.