So Y asked three interesting questions regarding Grid-Group Cultural Theory. This is a line of thought, a method of inquiry, developed by the British social anthropologist Mary Douglas, along with numerous collaboraters, and more recently numerous younger adopters who never actually worked with Douglas. Its early presentation was in the influential book Natural Symbols. DMK … Continue reading More on Questions about Grid-Group Theory
Tag: Aaron Wildavsky
Moving beyond a failure in the marketplace of ideas
The following is a guest post from Prof Dan Kahan in response to a previous post here, on Margaret Heffernan’s book, Willful Blindness. 4culture’s insightful post put me in mind of something important that in fact he has said explicitly before: Understanding the contribution that cultural influences have on our perceptions of risk (and like facts) cannot only explain … Continue reading Moving beyond a failure in the marketplace of ideas
‘I think we won’: Mary Douglas Interview
Mary Douglas, anthropologist and originator of what became grid-group cultural theory, was interviewed in 2006 by Cambridge anthropologist Alan MacFarlane. An annotated video is part of a large series of fascinating interviews he has conducted over many years. Exerpts are posted at Youtube (see below), The long version is worth watching to find out what … Continue reading ‘I think we won’: Mary Douglas Interview
When all that unites us is our fear
At New Statesman magazine, Hugh Aldersley-Williams quotes Mary Douglas and Aaron Wildavsky's Risk and Culture, "people select their awareness of certain dangers to conform with a specific way of life". He worries that we may reach a state in which "all we have in common is our fears". Actually, it's very unlikely we'll reach a … Continue reading When all that unites us is our fear
Four Cultures 