35 pages • 1 hour read
Mary DouglasPurity and Danger
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1966A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Originally published in 1966, Purity and Danger, by Mary Douglas, is a treatise on the concepts of purity and uncleanness in various societies and cultures. Douglas, a British anthropologist, explores how dietary rules, religious rituals, and social and sexual taboos express societal beliefs about order and the cosmic structure, arguing against viewing purity taboos as irrational or merely hygienic.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Douglas' Purity and Danger is praised for its groundbreaking exploration of how societies classify and respond to the concept of purity and impurity. Critics commend its interdisciplinary approach and insightful analysis. However, some reviewers find the dense academic language challenging. Overall, it remains a seminal text in anthropology and cultural studies.
Who Should Read Purity and Danger?
Readers who enjoy Purity and Danger by Mary Douglas typically have interests in anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies. They appreciate analyses of how societies conceptualize and manage purity and pollution. Fans of Emile Durkheim's The Elementary Forms of Religious Life and Erving Goffman's The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life will find it particularly engaging.