,REFLECTIONS ON ,REFLECTIONS 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,DAVID ,GRAEB] 

,TEXT 3 

,AB/RACT3 ,COMM5T ON ,ORTN]1 ,%]RY4 #b#a#f4 0,D>K AN?ROPOLOGY & ITS O!RS3 ,!ORY S9CE ! EI<TIES40 ,HAU3 ,J\RNAL ( ,E?NOGRAPHIC ,!ORY #f 7#a73 #d#g-#g#c4 

,9 MANY WAYS ,%]RY ,ORTN] IS ! AN?ROPOLOGI/'S AN?ROPOLOGI/4 ,BY ?IS ,I MEAN NOT JU/ ?AT %E'S AN EXEMPL>Y MODEL ( ! CRAFT 7?\< %E'S OBVI\SLY ?AT71 OR EV5 PRECISELY ?AT %E ANALYZES AN?ROPOLOGY'S [N MY?S & RITUALS1 BUT1 RA!R1 ?AT %E HAS AN UNCANNY ABILITY TO DO = H] [N DISCIPL9E1 AT ANY PO9T 9 ITS HI/ORY1 :AT ANY GOOD E?NOGRAPH] %\LD DO ) A =M ( CULTURAL PRACTICE3 TO TEASE \T ! UNACKN[L$G$--OR MORE (T5 HALF-ACKN[L$G$--LOGIC UND]LY+ IT1 & TO MAKE IT CLE> TO ?OSE :O W]E NEV] COMPLETELY AW>E ( :AT !Y W]E ACTUALLY DO+4 ,TO DO ?IS ) A GR\P ( PEOPLE :O SEE !MSELVES AS NO?+ IF NOT SELF-AW>E IS ALWAYS SOME?+ ( AN EXPLOIT4 ,ORTN] PULLS IT (F REGUL>LY4 

,& IT'S REALLY HI< TIME SOMEONE DID ?IS BECAUSE ! DISCIPL9E DOES (T5 SEEM UNUSUALLY ADRIFT4 

,ALL[ ME TO M]ELY JOT D[N A FEW SPONTANE\S REACTIONS--QUE/IONS1 MA9LY1 SOMETIMES TOO SUGGE/IONS--:I* ,I HOPE MI<T 5C\RAGE FRUITFUL DEBATE4 

,FIR/1 ! PIECE SEEMS TO BE RA!R DIFF]5TLY FRAM$ ?AN ITS MO/ DIRECT PR$ECESSOR1 0,!ORY 9 AN?ROPOLOGY !ORY S9CE ! SIXTIES 0 7,ORTN] #a#i#h#d74 ,!Y APPE> TO 9VOLVE SOME:AT DIFF]5T MODES ( EXPLANATION4 ,! E>LI] ESSAY DESCRIBES A !ORETICAL DIVIDE BETWE5 MAT]IALI/S & IDEALI/S_/CULTURALI/S 9 ! #a#i#fS & #a#i#gS1 OV]COME BY ! EM]G5CE ( PRACTICE !ORY 9 ! #a#i#hS4 0,D>K AN?ROPOLOGY & ITS O!RS0 7,ORTN] #b#a#f71 9 CONTRA/1 >ISES AS A SPECIFIC RESPONSE TO *ANGES 9 POLITICAL ECONOMY ON A GLOBAL SCALE 7NEOLIB]ALISM7 FROM AT LEA/ ! #a#i#iS ONW>DS4 ,?IS OBVI\SLY RAISES ! QUE/ION3 ,H[ DID ! E>LI] SPLIT BETWE5 IDEALI/S & MAT]IALI/S RELATE TO ! L>G] POLITICAL ECONOMY ( ! TIME8 ,H[ DID EA* RELATE TO ! P>TICUL> WAYS ! L>G] POLITICAL ECONOMY WAS REFRACT$ ?R\< ! /RUCTURE ( ! UNIV]SITY1 & ! BROAD] 9/ITUTIONAL CONDITIONS UND] :I* AN?ROPOLOGI/S PRODUC$ !IR WORK8 

,! EASY ANSW] W\LD BE TO SAY ?AT ! MAT]IALISM_/CULTURALISM SPLIT WAS SIMPLY A REFLECTION ( ! ,COLD ,W>1 ) E/ABLI%M5T FIGURES LIKE ,GE]TZ OR ,MEAD AS CLASSIC ,COLD ,W> LIB]ALS1 EV5 :5 !Y W]E NOT RECEIV+ DIRECT OR 9DIRECT ASSI/ANCE FROM ! ,C,I,A OR ! ,U,S ,DEF5SE ,DEP>TM5T OR DEF5D+ ?OSE :O DID 7,ROSS #a#i#i#h2 ,PRICE #b#a#f71 :ILE ! MAT]IALI/S AT LEA/ SAW !MSELVES AS ACT+ 9 SOLID>ITY ) MOVEM5TS ( NATIONAL LIB]ATION--!N L>GELY ,M>XI/--9 ! GLOBAL ,S\?4 ,IT'S BY NO MEANS AN EXACT FIT 7?9K ( FIGURES LIKE ,M>%ALL ,SAHL9S71 BUT C]TA9LY ! RADICAL MAT]IALI/S DID SEE IT ?AT WAY4 ,BUT ONE C\LD ALSO SEE ! !ORETICAL DEBATE AS A /RUGGLE OV] ! ROLE ( ! UNIV]SITY4 ,R&ALL ,COLL9S 7#b#b3 #f#d#f-#h#f7 HAS PO9T$ \T ?AT EV]Y:]E 9 ! WORLD1 FROM ,SW$5 TO ,JAPAN1 ! PHILOSOPH]S ( ! G5]ATION OR TWO 9VOLV$ 9 CREAT+ AN AUTONOM\S UNIV]SITY SY/EM 9V>IABLY BECAME PHILOSOPHICAL IDEALI/S--EV5 9 C\NTRIES :I* HAD NO REAL TRADITION ( PHILOSOPHICAL IDEALISM BE=E OR HAVE NOT HAD ONE S9CE4 ,MAT]IALI/S 9 ! #a#i#fS & #a#i#gS T5D$ TO QUE/ION ! UNIV]SITY'S CLAIMS TO BE AN IVORY T[]4 ,S9CE ! #a#i#hS1 ( C\RSE1 ! V]Y IDEA ( UNIV]SITIES AS A PURE DOMA9 ( ?\<T DIVORC$ FROM ! WORLD SEEMS A WI/FUL DREAM3 M>KET BUREAUCRATIZATION HAS SWEPT OV] EV]Y?+ WE DO AS S*OL>S4 7,TO ! PO9T :]E EV5 US+ ! WORD 0S*OL>0 H]E S\NDS A BIT QUA9T4 ,WE'RE NOT PRIM>ILY S*OL>S4 ,= MO/ ( US S*OL>%IP IS SOME?+ WE'RE AT BE/ ALL[$ TO DO ON ! SIDE1 AS A REW>D = ! ACCOMPLI%M5T ( \R PRIM>Y RESPONSIBILITIES 9 TEA*+ & ADM9I/RATION47 

,?IS T5D5CY TO TREAT ACADEMIC PRACTICE 9 IDEALI/ T]MS1 ?AT IS1 AS IF IT TAKES PLACE 9 A K9D ( CONCEPTUAL BUBBLE SEP>ATE FROM ECONOMIC1 POLITICAL1 OR EV5 9/ITUTIONAL CON/RA9TS1 IS /ILL V]Y MU* ) US4 ,9 HI/ORIES ( ! DISCIPL9E1 EV5 ! PHYSICAL REALITIES ( PRODUC+ & DI/RIBUT+ BOOKS >E (T5 CONSID]$ TOO VULG> TO M5TION4 ,:Y IS IT ?AT AN?ROPOLOGI/S NO LONG] WRITE LONG E?NOGRAPHIES LIKE ,WIT*CRAFT1 ORACLES & MAGIC AMONG ! ,AZ&E OR ,CORAL G>D5S & !IR MAGIC--?AT IS1 BOOKS ) 5\< DETAIL ?AT O!RS CAN RE9T]PRET ! MAT]IAL8 ,:Y MU/ ALL \R 9=MATION N[ COME TO US BRIEF & PR$IGE/$8 ,IF SU* QUE/IONS >E ADDRESS$ AT ALL1 IT'S ALMO/ ALWAYS DESCRIB$ AS A *ANGE 9 ! GEI/1 & C]TA9LY NOT BECAUSE ACADEMIC PUBLI%]S CAN NO LONG] AF=D TO PRODUCE SU* BOOKS 7HAV+ LO/ ! GU>ANTE$ LIBR>Y SALES ?AT US$ TO SU/A9 SU* PROJECTS S9CE ,ELSEVI]1 ,SPR+]1 ,WILEY1 & O!R =-PR(IT PUBLI%]S BEGAN WILDLY 9FLAT+ SUBSCRIPTION RATES = ACADEMIC J\RNALS47 ,EV5 ! REFLEXIVE AN?ROPOLOGI/S ( ! #a#i#hS1 :O CLAIM$ TO WANT TO EXPOSE ! P[] RELATIONS UND]LY+ ! CREATION ( AN?ROPOLOGICAL TEXTS1 L>GELY CONF9$ !IR ANALYZES TO ! POLITICS ( FIELDWORK--?AT IS1 :5 ! E?NOGRAPH] WAS CLE>LY 9 ! ADVANTAGE\S POSITION--RA!R ?AN ! /AGE :5 %E IS ACTUALLY WRIT+ ! TEXTS 7:5 ! E?NOGRAPH]1 AS P[]LESS GRAD /UD5T1 IS ALMO/ 5TIRELY AT ! M]CY ( MORE P[]FUL =CES1 RANG+ FROM GRANT AG5CIES TO GRADUATE ADVIS]S1 EV5 IF ! LATT] TURN \T TO BE LAZY1 TEMP]AM5TAL1 SEXUALLY PR$ATORY1 OR 9SANE74 

,?IS SUGGE/S ?AT ! !ORY ( PRACTICE RESOLV$ ! IDEALI/_/MAT]IALI/ SPLIT MORE 9 !ORY ?AN 9 PRACTICE4 

,IT W\LD BE 9T]E/+ TO ASK3 ,:AT IS IT AB\T ! PRACTICE ( !ORETICAL PRACTICE ?AT MADE ?IS SPLIT SEEM TO MAKE S5SE1 BACK 9 ! #a#i#eS1 #a#i#fS1 & #a#i#gS1 & HAS MADE IT SEEM TO DISAPPE> TODAY8 ,:Y HAVE ! ACTUAL ME*ANISMS & DIRECT EFFECTS ( CAPITALISM BECOME VISIBLE TO AN?ROPOLOGI/S AT ! PRECISE MOM5T :5 ORGANIZ$ WORK+-CLASS OPPOSITION TO CAPITALISM SPECIFICALLY HAS L>GELY DISSIPAT$8 

,?IS1 ( C\RSE1 LEADS TO ! QUE/ION ( SOCIAL MOVEM5TS1 ) :I* ,ORTN]'S ESSAY CONCLUDES4 ,AN?ROPOLOGI/S1 %E NOTES1 HAVE BEGUN TO DESIGN PROJECTS :]E !Y >E 0A FULL P>TICIPANT AS WELL AS AN OBS]V]40 ,!RE >E MANY QUE/IONS ?AT C\LD BE RAIS$ H]E1 9CLUD+ AB\T ! 9/ITUTIONAL DANG]S ( ?IS SORT ( RESE>* 7A CASE MI<T BE MADE ?AT ,I'M MYSELF A PO/]-BOY = !SE71 BUT ,I'LL CONF9E MYSELF TO ONE3 ,DOES ?IS APPLY TO ALL SOCIAL MOVEM5TS1 & IF NOT1 :AT >E \R CRIT]IA = SELECTION8 ,BECAUSE CLE>LY !SE MU/ EXI/1 :E!R WE ADMIT !Y DO OR NOT4 

,LET ME GIVE AN EXAMPLE ( :AT ,I MEAN H]E4 ,I HAVE OCCASIONALLY BE5 TAK5 TO TASK = DESCRIB+ C]TA9 /ATELESS SOCIETIES OR RADICAL SOCIAL MOVEM5TS ?AT DON'T ACTUALLY CALL !MSELVES AN>*I/S AS 0AN>*I/IC0--! OBJECTION BE+1 CRUDELY PUT1 0,:O ! HELL DOES HE ?9K HE IS TELL+ PEOPLE :O DON'T ?9K !Y'RE AN>*I/S ?AT !Y >E80 ,IT MAKES S5SE TO OBJECT IF Y\ ?9K ( ?IS AS DEPLOY+ ! P[] ( ! ACADEMY TO DECIDE :O IS & IS NOT WOR?Y ( A C]TA9 DESIRABLE DESIGNATION 7NOT ?AT MANY CONSID] ! TITLE ( 0AN>*I/0 P>TICUL>LY DESIRABLE1 BUT LET'S LEAVE ?AT ASIDE = ! MOM5T74 ,?IS SEEMS TO VIOLATE A BASIC PR9CIPLE4 ,SURELY EV]YONE %\LD HAVE ! RI<T TO DEF9E !MSELVES4 ,BUT IF WE >E TALK+ AB\T POLITICAL MOVEM5TS1 0EV]YONE0 NEV] REALLY MEANS LIT]ALLY EV]YONE4 ,EV5 MY MO/ >D5T CRITICS W\LD PRESUMABLY NOT OBJECT TO CALL+ MEMB]S ( ! ,>YAN ,NATIONS OR ,:ITE ,P[] MOVEM5T 0RACI/10 EV5 IF !Y 9SI/ ?AT !Y >E NOT4 ,SO AT ! V]Y LEA/1 ALL ACADEMIC RADICALS FEEL !Y HAVE A RI<T TO DECIDE :AT IS A SOCIAL MOVEM5T ?AT %\LD HAVE ! RI<T TO DECIDE ON ITS [N DESIGNATION1 & :AT IS NOT4 ,I SUPPOSE ONE C\LD SAY1 0,:O ! HELL DO Y\ ?9K Y\ >E DECID+ :O HAS ! RI<T TO DEF9E !MSELVES & :O DOESN'T80--BUT REALLY1 ALMO/ NO ONE W\LD GO ?IS F>4 ,IT FEELS 9TUITIVELY RI<T ?AT WE %\LD BE ABLE TO SAY ,NATIONAL ,SOCIALI/S >5'T REALLY 0SOCIALI/S10 OR ?AT ! ,NOR? ,KOREAN GOV]NM5T ISN'T REALLY 0DEMOCRATIC10 EV5 IF WE DO FEEL OBLIG$ TO RESPECT ! ,ZAPATI/AS :5 !Y SAY !Y PRACTICE DEMOCRACY1 & ! ,AYM>A MOVEM5T 9 ,BOLIVIA :5 !Y SAY !IR P>TICIPATORY =MS ( DECISION MAK+ MU/ BE CALL$ SOME?+ ELSE4 ,BUT IF SO1 :AT IS ! BASIS ON :I* TO DI/+UI% ?OSE :O GET TO NAME !MSELVES & ?OSE :O DON'T8 

,IT CAN ONLY BE BECAUSE ( A S5SE ( ! PRES5CE OR ABS5CE ( %>$ VALUES ( SOME K9D4 ,NORMALLY1 AN?ROPOLOGI/S KEEP !SE VALUES IMPLICIT1 & 9 MO/ CIRCUM/ANCES !RE'S NO?+ REALLY WRONG ) ?AT1 BUT IF ACTIVI/ AN?ROPOLOGY IS TO BECOME AN IMPORTANT G5RE1 ! QUE/ION WILL NECESS>ILY COME UP4 ,BECAUSE ACTIVI/S FACE ?IS K9D ( QUE/ION ALL ! TIME4 ,& IF !SE VALUES EXI/1 >E !Y SIMPLY VALUES ?AT MO/ AN?ROPOLOGI/S HAPP5 TO HOLD1 = V>I\S HI/ORICAL & DEMOGRAPHIC REASONS1 OR >E !Y 9 SOME WAY 9TR9SIC TO ! PROJECT ( AN?ROPOLOGY ITSELF8 ,?IS IS A DIFFICULT PHILOSOPHICAL QUE/ION1 & ( C\RSE RAISES ! QUE/ION ( :AT ! ULTIMATE AIMS ( AN?ROPOLOGY ACTUALLY >E4 ,DOES ! V]Y PROJECT ( UND]/&+ SOCIAL & CULTURAL DIFF]5CE IMPLY C]TA9 MORAL OR POLITICAL COMMITM5TS8 

,I AM NOT GO+ TO SUGGE/ AN ANSW] H]E1 BUT LET ME GIVE AN EXAMPLE AT LEA/ ( ! K9D ( >GUM5T ,I AM ?9K+ (4 ,! PHILOSOPH] ,ROY ,BHASK> 7#b#i3 #a#a#c-#b#a7 MADE A CASE ?AT ! FAM\S ,HUMEAN DI/9CTION BETWE5 FACTS & VALUES IS BAS$ AT LEA/ P>TLY ON A CONFUSION AB\T :AT 0FACTS0 >E4 ,FACTS >E NOT REALITIES4 ,!Y >E /ATEM5TS AB\T REALITY1 H5CE P>T ( A DISC\RSE4 ,BUT 9 ANY DISC\RSE CONC]N$ ) E/ABLI%+ 0FACTS10 TRUE /ATEM5TS >E BY DEF9ITION VALU$ MORE HI<LY ?AN FALSE ONES4 ,IT FOLL[S ?AT ANYONE 5GAG$ 9 ANY DISC\RSE TRY+ TO E/ABLI% FACTS HAS ALREADY ACCEPT$ ?AT FACTS >E VALUES1 AT LEA/ 9 ?AT CONTEXT4 ,IT ALSO FOLL[S 7VIA A FEW 9T]M$I>Y LOGICAL /EPS :I* !RE'S NO NE$ TO GET 9TO H]E7 ?AT ANY SU* P]SON W\LD ALSO PREF] A SOCIAL >RANGEM5T ?AT CAN REPRODUCE ITSELF )\T HAV+ TO MISREPRES5T ITSELF TO ONE ?AT CANNOT4 ,IF ONE !N ACCEPTS ! ,M>XI/ >GUM5T ?AT SOCIAL SY/EMS BAS$ ON EXPLOITATION WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO MISREPRES5T !MSELVES1 ONE HAS TO CONCLUDE ?AT SU* SY/EMS >E LESS DESIRABLE ?AN A POSSIBLE MORE HONE/ ALT]NATIVE4 

,N[ ,I'M NOT NECESS>ILY PUTT+ ?IS P>TICUL> >GUM5T =W>D = AN?ROPOLOGY1 JU/ US+ IT BY WAY ( ILLU/RATION ( ! SORT ( >GUM5TS WE %\LD BE CONSID]+4 ,:AT IS ! ESS5CE ( ! AN?ROPOLOGICAL PROJECT8 ,& :AT SORT ( POLITICS DOES IT IMPLY8 ,ONE PROBLEM ) ! CRITICAL MOM5T ( ! #a#i#hS IS ?AT ! WAY IT WAS FRAM$ MADE IT DIFFICULT = ANYONE :O FULLY B\<T 9TO ITS T]MS TO SEE AN?ROPOLOGY AS HAV+ A R$EMPTIVE CORE 7EV5 US+ ! T]M 0R$EMPTIVE0 9 ! MO/ M9IMAL S5SE ( NOT 9H]5TLY IMP]IAL1 RACI/1 COLONIAL1 OR O!RWISE FUNDAM5TALLY FLAW$74 ,AS ,ORTN] SO AMPLY ILLU/RATES H]E1 ! DISCIPL9E HAS BE5 PROCE$+1 EV] S9CE1 ALMO/ AS IF TO PROVE TO ITSELF IT IS REALLY ON ! SIDE ( ! UND]DOG4 ,?IS MI<T BE AN OCCASION TO ASK3 ,:Y8 ,:Y HAS IT FELT COMPELL$ TO DO SO8 ,IS !RE SOME?+ 9H]5T 9 ! NATURE ( AN?ROPOLOGICAL 9QUIRY ITSELF ?AT MADE ?IS POPULI/ TURN 9EVITABLE8 7,I %\LD EMPHASIZE3 ,I DON'T CLAIM TO KN[ ! ANSW] TO ?IS QUE/ION47 ,& IF ! V]Y PRACTICE ( AN?ROPOLOGY DOES IMPLY A C]TA9 POLITICS1 :AT EXACTLY MI<T ?AT POLITICS BE8 

,REF]5CES3 

,ROY ,BHASK>4 #b#i4 ,SCI5TIFIC REALISM & HUMAN EMANCIPATION4 ,LONDON3 ,R\TL$GE4 

,R&ALL ,COLL9S4 #b#b4 ,! SOCIOLOGY ( PHILOSOPHIES3 ,A GLOBAL !ORY ( 9TELLECTUAL *ANGE4 ,CAMBRIDGE1 ,M,A3 ,BELKNAP4 

,%]RY ,B4 ,ORTN] #a#i#h#d4 0,!ORY 9 AN?ROPOLOGY !ORY S9CE ! SIXTIES40 ,COMP>ATIVE ,/UDIES ( ,SOCIETY & ,HI/ORY #bf 7#a73 #a#b#f-#f#f4 

,%]RY ,B4 ,ORTN]4 #b#a#f4 0,D>K AN?ROPOLOGY & ITS O!RS3 ,!ORY S9CE ! EI<TIES40 ,HAU3 ,J\RNAL ( ,E?NOGRAPHIC ,!ORY #f 7#a73 #d#g-#g#c4 

,DAVID ,H4 ,PRICE #b#a#f4 ,COLD ,W> AN?ROPOLOGY3 ,! ,C,I,A1 ! ,P5TAGON1 & ! GR[? ( DUAL USE AN?ROPOLOGY4 ,DURHAM1 ,N,C3 ,DUKE ,UNIV]SITY ,PRESS4 

,]IC ,ROSS4 #a#i#i#h4 0,COLD ,W>RIORS )\T WEAPONS40 ,ID5TITIES #d 7#c-#d73 #d#g#e-#e#f4 

7,S\RCE3 ,RETRIEV$ ON #b#h? ,NOVEMB] #bba FROM WWW4J\RNALS4U*ICAGO4$U47 

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