The Anthropology of Time: Cultural Constructions of Temporal Maps and Images (Explorations in Anthropology) [Paperback]

Alfred Gell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0854968903 | ISBN-13: 978-0854968909

Time - relentless, ever-present but intangible and the single element over which human beings have no absolute control - has long proved a puzzle. The author examines the phenomenon of time and asks such fascinating questions as how time impinges on people, to what extent our awareness of time is culturally conditioned, how societies deal with temporal problems and whether time can be considered a `resource' to be economized. More specifically, he provides a consistent and detailed analysis of theories put forward by a number of thinkers such as Durkheim, Evans-Pritchard, Lévi-Strauss, Geertz, Piaget, Husserl and Bourdieu. His discussion encompasses four main approaches in time research, namely developmental psychology, symbolic anthropology (covering the bulk of post-Durkheimian social anthropology) `economic' theories of time in social geography and, finally, phenomenological theories. The author concludes by presenting his own model of social/cognitive time, in the light of these critical discussions of the literature.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Arguing forcefully against a number of distinguished anthropologists and his own earlier work, [Alfred Gell] has produced a critical review of the literature which is original, disturbing and sometimes brilliant..." --MAN

"Gell takes a broad sweep and his book is likely to be the standard one in this field for some time to come." --Cosmos

"... Gell’s work is most likely a probe, but - I must add - a very brilliant one." --Ibero-Americana Pragensia

About the Author

Alfred Gell is formerly of London School of Economics

Product Details

• Paperback: 341 pages
• Publisher: Berg Publishers (July 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0854968903
• ISBN-13: 978-0854968909
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #798,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Time - and how humans try to make sense of it, September 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Anthropology of Time: Cultural Constructions of Temporal Maps and Images (Explorations in Anthropology) (Paperback)

Alfred Gell's book is both scholarly and (generally) accessable for laypeople and those (like Gell) who are anthropologists . He looks at opposing theories of time perception and how these fit with a human grasp of time. Some of the more theoretical (philosophical) sections are quite heavy. Persist and you shall be rewarded. I enjoyed this book and found it a real thought-provoker.