Simple Lives, Cultural Complexity - Rethinking Culture in Terms of Complexity Theory (Hardcover)

Simple Lives, Cultural Complexity explores how people manage to live relatively simple lives while remaining seemingly unaware of the cultural complexity they produce while doing so. Using complexity theory, the book reconceptualizes culture as a complex dynamic system called cultural complexity, and argues that cultural complexity arises from persistent interactions among people and groups who act according to simple rules. The order produced is different from, and not reducible to, the interactions that created it. People only need simple rules of engagement in order to cope with their surroundings: rules that can be enacted through all kinds of strategies, and that together produce very complex emergent properties. Bergendorff argues that people do not need to know their entire "cultural order" and its formal logics to cope with everyday life. They do not need to be enculturated; they only need to be enskilled to act in everyday situations. Theoretically dense and rich, this book offers an innovative perspective on the concept of culture and the many ways that it is deployed and understood by its bearers.

General

Imprint:	Lexington Books
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	October 2009
First published:	November 2009
Authors:	Steen Bergendorff
Dimensions:	240 x 162 x 21mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover - Cloth over boards
Pages:	208
ISBN-13:	978-0-7391-2897-8
Categories:	Books > Humanities > Philosophy > Topics in philosophy > Social & political philosophy Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social research & statistics > General Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Anthropology > Social & cultural anthropology > General Books > Philosophy > Topics in philosophy > Social & political philosophy Promotions
LSN:	0-7391-2897-3
Barcode:	9780739128978

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!