The Interpretation Of Cultures By Clifford Geertz

In The Interpretation of Cultures, Clifford Geertz neatly collects many of the essays written throughout his academic career. From field research in Indonesia and Morocco to highly theoretical pieces, Geertz contributed a massive amount of work to the study of anthropology, including a new definition of religion, which has been subjected to much admiration and scrutiny. In this essay, I will be discussing some of Geertz’s terminology, cockfighting’s relationship with religion, Asad’s enlightening critique, and webs of significance. For starters, I will say that I actually read another one of Geertz’s pieces, Islam Observed, a year ago, and while I liked some of his ideas, I interpreted his tone and word choices at times as a tad bit condescending. I found â€Å"Religion as a Cultural System† to be the same as well in terms of rubbing me the wrong way. Phrases like â€Å"infantile fairy tale worlds† (103) or â€Å"bizarre perspective embodied in dreams and hallucinations (110)† are just a couple of things he says that seem strange and off-putting. Nevertheless, I will not concentrate too much on these words, for I found some other words more problematic and confusing. If you happen to know Geertz’s personality, I would be interested to hear what he was like. Anyways, while reading this particular Geertz’s essay, I was impressed by how detailed Geertz is in defining not only religion but most of the other words he associates with religion like symbol, mood, motivation, andShow MoreRelatedClifford Geertz - Interpretive Anthropology2636 Words   |  11 PagesSocial Anthropology Essay. How would you summarize Clifford Geertz’s contribution to the field of anthropology? Clifford Geertz I have chosen this essay on Geertz, as the information I received in class I found interesting and wanted to elaborate on the knowledge I already had. 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