Discourse and the Construction of Society: Comparative Studies of Myth, Ritual, and Classification - Paperback

by Bruce Lincoln (Author)

Without overlooking the role of coercive force in the maintenance (or overthrow) of social structures, Lincoln argues his thesis with rich illustrations drawn from such diverse areas as Platonic philosophy, the Upanishads of India, ancient Celtic banquets, professional wrestling, and the Spanish Civil War. This wide-ranging interdisciplinary study--which draws on works in history, semiotics, anthropology, sociology, classics, and indology--offers challenging new insights into the complex dynamics of social cohesion and change. The second edition includes three new chapters, new images, and an updated bibliography.

Author Biography

Bruce Lincoln is Caroline E. Haskell Distinguished Service Professor of the History of Religions in the Divinity School and in the Center for Middle Eastern Studies and Committee on Medieval Studies, and is Associate Faculty in the Departments of Anthropology and Classics. His most recent publications include Gods and Demons, Priests and Scholars: Critical Explorations in the History of Religions (2012), "Happiness for Mankind" Achaemenian Religion and the Imperial Project (2012), and Comparer en histoire des religions antiques, coedited with Claude Calame (2012).