Essentially Constructed : On Anti-Essentialism and Social Constructionism in Contemporary Anthropological Theory

Abstract: Essentialism is an unpopular word in contemporary anthropology. One would probably be hard pressed to find an anthropologist who would adopt any traditional essentialist position. Indeed, uses of the word "essentialism" occasionally seem little different from the uses of a derogative. Anti- essentialism is the norm today and several forms of contemporary anthropology make it a basic tenet as well as a goal of inquiry. Essentialism, however, is not universally rejected beyond the confines of anthropology. Furthermore, essentialisms and anti-essentialisms alike come in various shapes and sizes. Thus, one cannot simply reject essentialism and adopt anti-essentialism, without considering what essentialism one is fighting and what anti-essentialism one is prepared to endorse. But in the case of many anthropologists such awareness seems little elaborated. This situation, I think, warrants some inquiry. The overall theme of this thesis, therefore, is the exploration of the current anti-essentialist climate in anthropology with a look towards its implications, its potential, and its limitations. This will be done through an elaboration of the essentialism/social constructionism dichotomy and its relations to anti- essentialism, which will be placed in a further relation to certain trends in anthropological theory past and present. (Del av inledningen)