The Cambridge Companion to Lévi-Strauss

by Boris Wiseman

Overview

Claude Lévi-Strauss is one of the major thinkers of the modern age. Regarded as a crucial figure in the development of structuralism, his writings are studied across a wide range of disciplines, including anthropology, philosophy and literary studies. The Cambridge Companion to Lévi-Strauss presents a major reassessment of his work and influence. The fifteen specially-commissioned essays in this volume engage with the controversies that have surrounded his ideas, and they probe the concealed influences and clichés that have obscured a true understanding of his work. The contributors are experts drawn from a number of fields, demonstrating the durability and importance of Lévi-Strauss's work in the academy. Written for students and researchers alike, these incisive, jargon-free essays will be essential reading for anybody who wishes to gain a deeper understanding of this important thinker.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521846301
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	05/14/2009
Series:	Cambridge Companion To...
Pages:	350
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Boris Wiseman is Senior Lecturer in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, University of Durham.

Table of Contents

Introduction Boris Wiseman; Part I. Society and Culture: 1. Lévi-Strauss and the question of humanism Denis Kambouchner; 2. Lévi-Strauss and history Michael E. Harkin; 3. Structure and exchange Abraham Rosman and Paula G. Rubel; 4. The future of the structural theory of kinship Marcela Coelho de Souza; Part II. Myth and Mind: 5. The two natures of Lévi-Strauss Philippe Descola; 6. On anthropological knowledge Claude Imbert; 7. The limits of classification: Claude Lévi-Strauss and Mary Douglas Frédéric Keck; 8. The local and the universal Eric Schwimmer; 9. Lévi-Strauss and the question of symbolism Marcel Hénaff; 10. Claude Lévi-Strauss's theoretical and actual approaches to myth Wendy Doniger; Part III. Language and Alterity: 11. Of The Story of Lynx: Lévi-Strauss and alterity Peter Gow; 12. Before Babel: language and languages in Lévi-Strauss Christopher Johnson; Part IV. Literature and Aesthetics: 13. Structuralism, poetry, music: Lévi-Strauss between Mallarmé and Wagner Jeffrey Mehlman; 14. Morphology and structural aesthetics: from Goethe to Lévi-Strauss Jean Petitot; 15. Structure and sensation Boris Wiseman.

Editorial Reviews

"Fifteen highly readable essays... provide a thorough examination of the major controversies and influences associated with Lévi-Strauss's work and its continuing value and applications to contemporary social research.... Most useful for college and university libraries supporting degree programs in anthropology, sociology, history, and philosophy.... Highly recommended." - Choice

From the Publisher