Mary Douglas's Argument In External Boundaries
Mary Douglas’ main argument in External Boundaries is that the body and all of its elements, is a universal symbol for society. She proposes a biological model reminiscent of Spencer’s organic model, though Spencer’s was analogous (think roads and veins) whereas Douglas is purely symbolic. “Society is not a body, but it can be symbolically represented by a body”. (McGee 2012:441)
Unlike the previously discussed pursuits of Margaret Mead, and those of her fellow symbolic anthropologists, Douglas did not believe psychological insights were useful in application when trying to understand ritual symbolism. In fact, taking her queue from Emile Durkheim (the separation between social phenomenon and individual) she made it a point to separate psychology
Unlike the previously discussed pursuits of Margaret Mead, and those of her fellow symbolic anthropologists, Douglas did not believe psychological insights were useful in application when trying to understand ritual symbolism. In fact, taking her queue from Emile Durkheim (the separation between social phenomenon and individual) she made it a point to separate psychology