Anthropological theory and engagement: A zero-sum game? (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)

Martin, K.; Flynn, A.

doi:10.1111/1467-8322.12153

Anthropological theory and engagement: A zero-sum game? (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)

Martin, K.; Flynn, A.

Authors

K. Martin

A. Flynn

Abstract

Engagement with pressing social and political issues is often presented as a threat to the elaboration of sophisticated anthropological theory that needs to be protected from such concerns in order to flourish. However the history of anthropological theory demonstrates that some of the discipline's most important contributions have tended to arise as a result of its proponents' desire to engage in such debates. Although we cannot reproduce the cultural models of a previous generation of anthropologists, the future elaboration of ground-breaking anthropological theory depends upon a rediscovery of such engaged work that does not posit engagement versus theoretical development as a zero-sum game.

Citation

Martin, K., & Flynn, A. (2015). Anthropological theory and engagement: A zero-sum game? (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate). Anthropology Today, 31(1), 12-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8322.12153

Journal Article Type	Article
Online Publication Date	Jan 26, 2015
Publication Date	Feb 1, 2015
Deposit Date	Mar 31, 2015
Publicly Available Date	Aug 17, 2016
Journal	Anthropology Today
Print ISSN	0268-540X
Electronic ISSN	1467-8322
Publisher	Wiley
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	31
Issue	1
Pages	12-14
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8322.12153

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Copyright Statement
This is the accepted version of the following article: Martin, K. and Flynn, A. (2015), Anthropological theory and engagement: A zero-sum game? (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate). Anthropology Today, 31(1): 12-14, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-8322.12153. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.