The Objects of Evidence: Anthropological Approaches to the Production of Knowledge (Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute Special Issue Book Series) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1405192968 ISBN 13: 9781405192965

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009

Synopsis

Part of The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute Special Issue Book Series, the contributors to this volume share the conviction that anthropology can no longer afford to ignore the importance of the concept of evidence, either for the ways in which anthropologists carry out their work (methodology) or present and justify their findings (epistemology).

• Demonstrates that evidence is something that all anthropologists must possess
• Shows how the collection of evidence in the field is still, without doubt, one of the main ingredients of what Bronislaw Malinowski once referred to as 'the ethnographer’s magic'
• Reveals how the concept of evidence has received little sustained attention in print – especially when compared to related concepts, such as 'fieldwork', 'truth', 'facts', and 'knowledge'
• Argued from a variety of theoretical perspectives and a rarity in its ability to orchestrate some many different – and vibrant – paradigms and points of view

About this title

About the Author

Matthew Engelke is a lecturer in the Department of Anthropology at the London School of Economics.

From the Back Cover

Evidence is something that all anthropologists must possess, and the collection of evidence in the field is still one of the main ingredients of what Bronislaw Malinowski once referred to as ‘the ethnographer’s magic’. And yet, despite this, the concept of evidence has received little sustained attention in print - especially when compared to related concepts, such as ‘fieldwork’, ‘truth’, ‘facts’, and ‘knowledge’. All anthropologists use evidence, but precious few reflect on what it is - or isn’t. This volume goes some way to correcting this state of affairs.

The volume’s contributors share the conviction that anthropology can no longer afford to ignore the importance of the concept of evidence, either for the ways in which anthropologists carry out their work (methodology) or present and justify their findings (epistemology). But the real strength of the volume comes from the ways in which the contributors argue the case from a variety of theoretical perspectives. This volume is a first when it comes to the care with which it treats such an important subject, and a rarity in its ability to orchestrate so many different paradigms and points of view.

The volume’s contributors share the conviction that anthropology can no longer afford to ignore the importance of the concept of evidence, either for the ways in which anthropologists carry out their work (methodology) or present and justify their findings (epistemology). But the real strength of the volume comes from the ways in which the contributors argue the case from a variety of theoretical perspectives. This volume is a first when it comes to the care with which it treats such an important subject, and a rarity in its ability to orchestrate so many different paradigms and points of view.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1405192968
• ISBN 13: 9781405192965
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 176
• Editor: Engelke Matthew