A Diary in the Strict Sense of the Term is a collection of the private diaries of the prominent anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski during his fieldwork in New Guinea and the Trobriand Islands between 1914–1915 and 1917–1918.[1] The collection is composed of two diaries, written in Polish.[1]
Published posthumously by his widow Valetta Swann in 1967,[1] the diaries, which repeatedly touch upon intensely personal matters such as sexual desires, as well as his private prejudices against his interlocutors, have remained extremely controversial. The introduction of the book was written by his pupil Raymond Firth.
History and significanceEdit
When the diaries were published in 1967, Clifford Geertz called them "gross" and "tiresome", and wrote that they portrayed Malinowski as "a crabbed, self-preoccupied, hypochondriacal narcissist, whose fellow-feeling for the people he lived with was limited in the extreme."[2] Two decades later, however, he praised the collection as a "backstage masterpiece of anthropology, our The Double Helix".[3]: 75
Michael W. Young noted that the diaries, "scandalously frank" with regards to topic such as the author's sexual desires and encounters, "debunked the romantic myth that he enjoyed relaxed and friendly rapport with his subjects and it fueled a moral crisis of the discipline in the 1970s."[4] Some parts of the diaries have been described as "racist" and "abusive" towards the natives, although they have been also defended as reflecting his "a bit grouchy" attitude.[5][6]
In 1985, Malinowski's daughter, Helena Wayne, noted that the diaries were "very personal [and] not meant for other eyes", and that she would have preferred if they remained out of print, instead available only as raw materials for a biographer. She acknowledged, however, that many scholars found the diaries very useful for insights on Malinowski and his work.[1]
Writing in 1987, James Clifford called the diaries "a crucial document for the history of anthropology".[7]: 97
In 2018, William W. Kelly wrote that "debate continues on whether the Diary directly reflects (and discredits) his fieldwork or whether it was an anguished outpouring of psychological anxieties that had more to do with his family, potential fiancées, and career than with anything going on outside his tent on the Trobriands".[8]
ReferencesEdit
^ abcdWayne, Helena (1985). "Bronislaw Malinowski: The Influence of Various Women on His Life and Works". American Ethnologist. 12 (3): 529–540. doi:10.1525/ae.1985.12.3.02a00090. ISSN 0094-0496. JSTOR 644537.
^Thompson, Christina A. (1995-06-01). "Anthropology's conrad: Malinowski in the tropics and what he read". The Journal of Pacific History. 30 (1): 53–75. doi:10.1080/00223349508572783. ISSN 0022-3344.
^Geertz, Clifford (1988). Works and Lives: The Anthropologist as Author. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
^Young, Michael W. (2015), "Malinowski, Bronislaw (1884–1942)", The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality, American Cancer Society, pp. 721–817, doi:10.1002/9781118896877.wbiehs279, ISBN978-1-118-89687-7, retrieved 10 September 2021
^Weiler, Bernd (2007-02-15), "Malinowski, Bronislaw K.(1884-1942)", in Ritzer, George (ed.), The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, Oxford, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, pp. wbeosm007, doi:10.1002/9781405165518.wbeosm007, ISBN978-1-4051-2433-1, retrieved 2023-01-13
^Bakker, J. I. (Hans) (2013-09-24). "Malinowski, Bronislaw". In Keith, Kenneth D (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Cross‐Cultural Psychology (1 ed.). Wiley. pp. 835–838. doi:10.1002/9781118339893.wbeccp340. ISBN978-0-470-67126-9.
^Clifford, James (1988-05-18). The Predicament of Culture: Twentieth-Century Ethnography, Literature, and Art. Harvard University Press. ISBN978-0-674-69843-7.
^Kelly, William W. (2018-10-05). "Malinowski, Bronisław (1884–1942)". In Callan, Hilary (ed.). The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology (1 ed.). Wiley. pp. 1–6. doi:10.1002/9781118924396.wbiea2164. ISBN978-1-118-92439-6. S2CID 187470515.
External linksEdit
A Diary in the Strict Sense of the Term. Stanford University Press. 1989. ISBN9780804717076. - publisher's description
October 18, 2023
diary, strict, sense, term, collection, private, diaries, prominent, anthropologist, bronisław, malinowski, during, fieldwork, guinea, trobriand, islands, between, 1914, 1915, 1917, 1918, collection, composed, diaries, written, polish, published, posthumously,. A Diary in the Strict Sense of the Term is a collection of the private diaries of the prominent anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski during his fieldwork in New Guinea and the Trobriand Islands between 1914 1915 and 1917 1918 1 The collection is composed of two diaries written in Polish 1 Published posthumously by his widow Valetta Swann in 1967 1 the diaries which repeatedly touch upon intensely personal matters such as sexual desires as well as his private prejudices against his interlocutors have remained extremely controversial The introduction of the book was written by his pupil Raymond Firth History and significance EditWhen the diaries were published in 1967 Clifford Geertz called them gross and tiresome and wrote that they portrayed Malinowski as a crabbed self preoccupied hypochondriacal narcissist whose fellow feeling for the people he lived with was limited in the extreme 2 Two decades later however he praised the collection as a backstage masterpiece of anthropology our The Double Helix 3 75 Michael W Young noted that the diaries scandalously frank with regards to topic such as the author s sexual desires and encounters debunked the romantic myth that he enjoyed relaxed and friendly rapport with his subjects and it fueled a moral crisis of the discipline in the 1970s 4 Some parts of the diaries have been described as racist and abusive towards the natives although they have been also defended as reflecting his a bit grouchy attitude 5 6 In 1985 Malinowski s daughter Helena Wayne noted that the diaries were very personal and not meant for other eyes and that she would have preferred if they remained out of print instead available only as raw materials for a biographer She acknowledged however that many scholars found the diaries very useful for insights on Malinowski and his work 1 Writing in 1987 James Clifford called the diaries a crucial document for the history of anthropology 7 97 In 2018 William W Kelly wrote that debate continues on whether the Diary directly reflects and discredits his fieldwork or whether it was an anguished outpouring of psychological anxieties that had more to do with his family potential fiancees and career than with anything going on outside his tent on the Trobriands 8 References Edit a b c d Wayne Helena 1985 Bronislaw Malinowski The Influence of Various Women on His Life and Works American Ethnologist 12 3 529 540 doi 10 1525 ae 1985 12 3 02a00090 ISSN 0094 0496 JSTOR 644537 Thompson Christina A 1995 06 01 Anthropology s conrad Malinowski in the tropics and what he read The Journal of Pacific History 30 1 53 75 doi 10 1080 00223349508572783 ISSN 0022 3344 Geertz Clifford 1988 Works and Lives The Anthropologist as Author Stanford Stanford University Press Young Michael W 2015 Malinowski Bronislaw 1884 1942 The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality American Cancer Society pp 721 817 doi 10 1002 9781118896877 wbiehs279 ISBN 978 1 118 89687 7 retrieved 10 September 2021 Weiler Bernd 2007 02 15 Malinowski Bronislaw K 1884 1942 in Ritzer George ed The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology Oxford UK John Wiley amp Sons Ltd pp wbeosm007 doi 10 1002 9781405165518 wbeosm007 ISBN 978 1 4051 2433 1 retrieved 2023 01 13 Bakker J I Hans 2013 09 24 Malinowski Bronislaw In Keith Kenneth D ed The Encyclopedia of Cross Cultural Psychology 1 ed Wiley pp 835 838 doi 10 1002 9781118339893 wbeccp340 ISBN 978 0 470 67126 9 Clifford James 1988 05 18 The Predicament of Culture Twentieth Century Ethnography Literature and Art Harvard University Press ISBN 978 0 674 69843 7 Kelly William W 2018 10 05 Malinowski Bronislaw 1884 1942 In Callan Hilary ed The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology 1 ed Wiley pp 1 6 doi 10 1002 9781118924396 wbiea2164 ISBN 978 1 118 92439 6 S2CID 187470515 External links EditA Diary in the Strict Sense of the Term Stanford University Press 1989 ISBN 9780804717076 publisher s description Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title A Diary in the Strict Sense of the Term amp oldid 1176399935, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
