Between magic and rationality
Subtitle: on the limits of reason in the modern world
By: edited by Vibeke Steffen, Steffen Jöhncke and Kirsten Marie Raahauge
Series: Critical anthropology -- [vol. 4]; Critical anthropology (Copenhagen, Denmark) -- v. 4.
Publisher: Museum Tusculanum Press
Published: 2015
Place of publication: Copenhagen
Language: eng
Number of pages: 380
ISBN-13: 9788763542135
Subjects: Cross-cultural studies; Ethnology; Reason
Description: In 'Between magic and reality', Vibeke Steffen, Steffen Jöhncke, and Kirsten Marie Raahauge bring together a diverse range of ethnographies that examine and explore the forms of reflection, action, and interaction that govern the ways different contemporary societies create and challenge the limits of reason. The essays here visit an impressive array of settings, including international scientific laboratories, British spiritualist meetings, Chinese villages, Danish rehabilitation centers, and Uzbeki homes, where they encounter a diverse assortment of people whose beliefs and concerns exhibit an unusual but central contemporary dichotomy: scientific reason versus spiritual/paranormal belief. Exploring the paradoxical way these modes of thought push against reason's boundaries, they offer a deep look at the complex ways they coexist, contest one another, and are ultimately intertwined.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.