Christoph Antweiler

In this book, anthropologist and geologist Christoph Antweiler shows that geology is a special, namely historical, natural science and is therefore relevant for a historically informed anthropology. He argues that we do not only need a geologically informed cultural anthropology, but conversely also an anthropologically oriented geology. A comprehensive geology must include material human culture as a fundamental geological phenomenon. In relation to cultural anthropology, the author discusses the challenge the Anthropocene poses for cultural anthropology as a traditionally micro-oriented social science. The book discusses where the blind spots lie in the highly interdisciplinary discussion. Common narratives are critically scrutinized. The author argues for the need for a new discipline: geoanthropology.

English summary: Emotions, feelings, affective dynamics: The anthropology of emotions has established itself as an interdisciplinary and transnational field of research. 27 authors from social and cultural anthropology, philosophy, psychology, sociology, the neurosciences and theatre studies outline the genesis and current developments of this research - in dialogue with Birgitt Rottger-Rossler's social and cultural-anthropological work and on the basis of the topics of perspectives, socialisation, mobility and politics. Thus, a new approach to the world of emotions emerges. German description: Dieses Buch ist eine Einladung an Sozial- und Kulturanthropolog: innen, affine und affizierte Kolleg: innen, sich weiterhin im Zentrum der interdisziplinaren Emotions- und Affektforschung zu positionieren. Die hier versammelten Beitrage stellen disziplinare Trennungen in Frage: insbesondere den gefuhlten Gegensatz zwischen gesellschaftlich hegemonialen Disziplinen (Psychologie, Psychiatrie, Neurowissenschaften, Biologie) und den eher performativen, diskursiven und narrativen Affect Studies an den kritischen Randern der Wissenschaft (Sozial- und Kulturanthropologie, Kulturwissenschaften, Literaturwissenschaft, Linguistik, Performance Studies, Philosophie, Soziologie). Dieses Buch positioniert die Sozial- und Kulturanthropologie als interdisziplinares Paradigma, das auf Sozial-, Geistes- und Kunstwissenschaften zuruckgreift und Naturwissenschaften nicht per se ausschliesst.

English summary: The book conveys an overview of the various methods of the field research and serves as a practical guide for lecturers and students of ethnology. It provides basic knowledge supporting the preparation of first researches. All authors have extensive field experience in different regions. German description: Dieser Band ist eine Hilfe bei der Planung der ersten Feldforschung und vermittelt Grundkenntnisse fur das Studium.

Since the politicization of anthropology in the 1970s, most anthropologists have been reluctant to approach the topic of universals—that is, phenomena that occur regularly in all known human societies. In this volume, Christoph Antweiler reasserts the importance of these cross-cultural commonalities for anthropological research and for life and co-existence beyond the academy. The question presented here is how anthropology can help us approach humanity in its entirety, understanding the world less as a globe, with an emphasis on differences, but as a planet, from a vantage point open to commonalities.

Das Erforschen kultureller Vielfalt ist zentraler Gegenstand der Ethnologie. 25 Autor_innen aus Instituten in Deutschland, Osterreich und der Schweiz bieten Einblick in das Fach, seine Inhalte und theoretischen Perspektiven. Die Beitrage umfassen eine Vielzahl an Themen: grundlegende Theorien und Methoden; Teilbereiche wie die Wirtschafts- oder Verwandtschaftsethnologie; Themen wie die Medienethnologie und die Stadt- oder die Entwicklungsethnologie. Grundlage ist der bewahrte Band Ethnologie. Einfuhrung und Uberblick. Das Buch ist ein wichtiges Grundlagenwerk fur Student_innen und alle an der Ethnologie Interessierten, die sich Arbeitsgebiete, theoretische Ansatze und Ergebnisse des Faches erschliessen wollen.

Since the politicization of anthropology in the 1970s, most anthropologists have been reluctant to approach the topic of universals—that is, phenomena that occur regularly in all known human societies. In this volume, Christoph Antweiler reasserts the importance of these cross-cultural commonalities for anthropological research and for life and co-existence beyond the academy. The question presented here is how anthropology can help us approach humanity in its entirety, understanding the world less as a globe, with an emphasis on differences, but as a planet, from a vantage point open to commonalities.

The diversity of interconnected cultures on a bounded planet requires more shared orientations. The humanities and politics have to face fundamental questions. What does a humanism look like that does not move too rapidly to universalize the views and historical experiences of the European or American world? How can we conceive of globality as a new entity without playing unity and diversity off against one another? Does a world culture that is becoming ever closely related in fact need common values or only rules of human exchange? How can we succeed at civilizing an ever-present ethnocentrism? How do we keep the terms "culture" and "humanity" from being misused as weapons in identity wars? Any realistic cosmopolitanism must proceed from an understanding of humankind as one entity without requiring us to re-design cultures to fit on with some sort of global template. Answers can be gained by deploying shared characteristics of humans as well as pan-cultural commonalities. This book offers an anthropologically informed foundation for addressing pertinent questions of intercultural exchange.