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Den ontologiske blænding : Om den ontologiske vendings metodiske og politiske problemer

Sausdal, David LU and Vigh, Henrik (2013) In Tidskriftet Antropologi 67. p.101-119
Abstract

This article takes a critical look at "the ontological turn". It argues that two key problems arise from the ontological turn: one methodical, the other political. First of all, the article points to the difficulties of studying the "radical Other" in ontological terms. If the supporters of the ontological turn are right in their claim that anthropology should not study multiple "world-views" but essentially different "worlds" altogether, then how, we ask, does one approach this methodologically? Put in other words; with what registers can we as anthropologists conceive and describe ontological others in ways that do them and not just the anthropologists/ anthropology justice? Secondly, the "construction" of difference, inherent in an... (More)

This article takes a critical look at "the ontological turn". It argues that two key problems arise from the ontological turn: one methodical, the other political. First of all, the article points to the difficulties of studying the "radical Other" in ontological terms. If the supporters of the ontological turn are right in their claim that anthropology should not study multiple "world-views" but essentially different "worlds" altogether, then how, we ask, does one approach this methodologically? Put in other words; with what registers can we as anthropologists conceive and describe ontological others in ways that do them and not just the anthropologists/ anthropology justice? Secondly, the "construction" of difference, inherent in an anthropological endeavor that advocates radical difference as an analytical point of departure, is problematic in relation to the impact that anthropology has outside academia. As history so vividly has shown us, dividing the world into radically different Others offers itself to political constructions of not only equal Others but often inferior ones.

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author
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alternative title
The ontological blinding. On the methodical and political problems of the ontological turn
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
(Anti)essentialism, C/culture, Exoticism, Objectification, Ontology, World(view)s
host publication
Tidskriftet Antropologi
series title
Tidskriftet Antropologi
volume
67
pages
19 pages
publisher
Copenhagen University
external identifiers
  • scopus:84899535854
ISSN
0906-3021
ISBN
9788788825596
language
Danish
LU publication?
no
id
87992741-3f42-4cb2-b459-e63bd8fe4335
date added to LUP
2021-06-09 12:55:16
date last changed
2025-04-04 15:10:05
@inbook{87992741-3f42-4cb2-b459-e63bd8fe4335,
  abstract     = {{<p>This article takes a critical look at "the ontological turn". It argues that two key problems arise from the ontological turn: one methodical, the other political. First of all, the article points to the difficulties of studying the "radical Other" in ontological terms. If the supporters of the ontological turn are right in their claim that anthropology should not study multiple "world-views" but essentially different "worlds" altogether, then how, we ask, does one approach this methodologically? Put in other words; with what registers can we as anthropologists conceive and describe ontological others in ways that do them and not just the anthropologists/ anthropology justice? Secondly, the "construction" of difference, inherent in an anthropological endeavor that advocates radical difference as an analytical point of departure, is problematic in relation to the impact that anthropology has outside academia. As history so vividly has shown us, dividing the world into radically different Others offers itself to political constructions of not only equal Others but often inferior ones.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sausdal, David and Vigh, Henrik}},
  booktitle    = {{Tidskriftet Antropologi}},
  isbn         = {{9788788825596}},
  issn         = {{0906-3021}},
  keywords     = {{(Anti)essentialism; C/culture; Exoticism; Objectification; Ontology; World(view)s}},
  language     = {{dan}},
  pages        = {{101--119}},
  publisher    = {{Copenhagen University}},
  series       = {{Tidskriftet Antropologi}},
  title        = {{Den ontologiske blænding : Om den ontologiske vendings metodiske og politiske problemer}},
  volume       = {{67}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}