ИДЕНТИТЕТ ЕТНОЛОГИЈЕ И (НЕ)ОСТВАРЕНОСТ АНТРОПОЛОГИЈЕ
Identity of Ethnology and Unfeasibility of Anthropology

Author(s): Aleksandra Pavićević
Subject(s): Anthropology, Social Sciences, Customs / Folklore, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology, Culture and social structure
Published by: Етнографски институт САНУ
Keywords: ethnology; anthropology; subject; method; identity
Summary/Abstract: The main argument of this paper is that there is an identity crisis in all Liberal Arts and Sciences: unification of cultural values and fading of locally specific features contribute to the general retreat in front of the more popular “anthropology”. The crisis is evident in subject-and methodological disorientation of certain disciplines that are valued less; these disciplines usually lack generality, universality and applied perspectives. Within ethnology, this leads to disregard of fieldwork in general (especially of rural areas), overlook of description, historical and various local social contexts. This particular condition is a reflection of globalization and the scientific movement that gives advantage to general instead of particular and individual – which is in opposition with the basic postulates of anthropology. This problem becomes especially difficult since the scientific community has no agreement on anthropology’s designation and relations to other sciences. A total approach should be, according to some definitions, diferentia specifica of anthropology, and this makes a solid basis for identity of every independent scientific discipline, including anthropology. However, the fulfillment of the total anthropological approach depends on the aim and concept of the particular researcher, and his ability to grasp the entire observed phenomenon. Unfortunately, this kind of anthropology was not materialized: it was reduced to multidisciplinary approach that gave some results, but which has stayed within one-dimensional interpretation.

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