Ritual Criticism And Reflexivity In Fieldwork
One view of ritual is that it is pre-critical, if not pre-rational, thus implying that criticism has no place in the inner circle of ritual enactment. To the contrary, I argue that ritual traditions typically involve the exercise of critical judgment, and therefore there is little point in scholars...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Print Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Dep.
[1988]
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In: |
Journal of ritual studies
Year: 1988, Volume: 2, Issue: 2, Pages: 217-239 |
Further subjects: | B
Religious rituals
B Bharathanatyam B Performing artists B Dance dramas B Anthropology of religion B Religious dances B Performing arts events |
Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) |
Summary: | One view of ritual is that it is pre-critical, if not pre-rational, thus implying that criticism has no place in the inner circle of ritual enactment. To the contrary, I argue that ritual traditions typically involve the exercise of critical judgment, and therefore there is little point in scholars avoiding it. Ritual criticism is the act of making judgments about rites, and its exercise, especially by observers in cross-cultural contexts, is potentially laden with conflict. My aim is to reflect on some of the problems of engaging in criticism outside the context of one's own traditions. To this end I use a specific example, that of a classical Indian dance performance, and subject it to criticism in order to formulate and refine the critic's task. |
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ISSN: | 0890-1112 |
Reference: | Kritik in "A Rumor Is Afield (1988)"
Kritik in "In, Out, And In-Between (1988)" |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of ritual studies
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