Power and Its Disguises: Anthropological Perspectives on Politics / Edition 2

by John Gledhill

Overview

‘Gledhill manages to cover a lot of ground in drawing out the thematic and theoretical focuses of political anthropology, brilliantly giving them life through a wide variety of empirical examples. ... The book will serve as a very good introduction to political anthropology for any student of power and politics.’ Journal of Peace Research

In this fully updated edition of Power and Its Disguises, John Gledhill explores both the complexities of local situations and the power relations that shape the global order. He shows how historically informed anthropological perspectives can contribute to debates about democratisation by incorporating a ‘view from below’ and revealing forces that shape power relations behind the formal facade of state institutions. Examples are drawn from Brazil, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Indonesia, India, Mexico, Peru, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Sri Lanka, amongst others.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780745316857
Publisher:	Pluto Press
Publication date:	09/20/2000
Series:	Anthropology, Culture and Society Series
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.32(w) x 8.46(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

John Gledhill is Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester. He is the managing editor of the journal Critique of Anthropology , and his other publications include Casi Nada: A Study of Land reform in the Homeland of Cardenismo and Neoliberalism, Transnationalization and Rural Poverty.

Table of Contents

Preface To The Second Edition
 
1. Locating The Political: A Political Anthropology For Today
 
2. The Origins And Limits Of Coercive Power: The Anthropology Of Stateless Societies
 
3. From Hierarchy To Surveillance: The Politics Of Agrarian Civilizations And The Rise Of The Western National State
 
4. The Political Anthropology Of Colonialism: A Study Of Domination And Resistance
 
5. Post-Colonial States: Legacies Of History And Pressures Of Modernity
 
6. From Macro-Structure To Micro-Process: Anthropological Analysis Of Political Practice
 
7. Political Process And ‘Global Disorder’: Perspectives On Contemporary Conflict And Violence
 
8. Society Against The Modern State?: The Politics Of Social Movements
 
9. Anthropology And Politics: Commitment, Responsibility And The Academy
 
Bibliography
 
Index

Editorial Reviews

...recommended to...researchers and teachers and...all practitioners, policy scientists and planners in the field.

Journal of Social Sciences

Gledhill (social anthropology, University of Manchester) explores the complexities of local situations and the power relations that shape the global order. He argues that an anthropology which confronts the politics of academic knowledge can transcend its colonial origins to challenge ethnocentrism. After considering the politics of agrarian civilizations and societies without indigenous states, he turns to the politics of domination and resistance within the colonial context. He examines contemporary politics of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Distributed in the US by Stylus. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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