Hermes' dilemma and Hamlet's desire : on the epistemology of interpretation

A distinguished anthropologist and a creative force behind postmodern writing in his field, Vincent Crapanzano here focuses his considerable critical powers upon his own culture. In essays that question how the human sciences, particularly anthropology and psychoanalysis, articulate their fields of study, Crapanzano addresses nothing less than the enormous problem of defining the self in both its individual and collective projections. Treating subjects as diverse as Roman carnivals and Balinese cockfights, circumcision, dreaming, and spirit possession in Morocco, transference in psychoanalysis, self-characterization in teenage girls gossip, Alice in Wonderland , and Jane Austens Emma , dialogue models in hermeneutics, and semantic vertigo in Hamlets Elsinore, these essays look critically at the inner workings of interpretation in human sciences and literary study. In modern Western cultures attempts to interpret and communicate the nature of other cultures, Crapanzano finds a crippling crisis in representation. He shows how the quest for knowledge of exotic and primitive people is often confused with an unexamined need for self-definition, and he sets forth the resulting interpretive paradoxes, particularly the suppression of any awareness of the play of power and desire in such an approach. What is missing from contemporary theories of interpretation is, in Crapanzanos account, a crucial understanding of the role context plays in any act of communication or its representationin interpretation itself. Vincent Crapanzano Here Focuses His Critical Powers Upon The Interpretive And Dialogic Strategies Of His Own Culture. In Essays That Question How The Human Sciences, Particularly Anthropology And Psychoanalysis, Articulate Their Fields Of Study, Crapanzano Addresses The Enormous Problem Of Describing The Self In Both Its Individual And Collective Projections. Treating Subjects As Diverse As Roman Carnivals And Balinese Cockfights, Circumcision, Dreaming, And Spirit Possession In Morocco, Transference In Psychoanalysis, Self-characterization In Teenage Girls' Gossip, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland And Jane Austen's Emma, Dialogue Models In Hermeneutics, And Semantic Vertigo In Hamlet's Elsinore, These Essays Look Critically At The Inner Workings Of Interpretation In The Human Sciences And Literary Study. In Modern Western Culture's Attempts To Interpret And Communicate The Nature Of Other Cultures, Crapanzano Finds A Crippling Crisis In Representation. He Shows How The Quest For Knowledge Of Exotic And Primitve People Is Often Confused With An Unexamined Need For Self-definition, And He Sets Forth The Resulting Interpretive Paradoxes, Particularly The Suppression Of Any Awareness Of The Play Of Power And Desire In Such An Approach. What Is Missing From Contemporary Theories Of Interpretation Is, In Crapanzano's Account, A Crucial Understanding Of The Role Context Plays In Any Act Of Communication Or Its Representation - In Interpretation Itself. Although He Makes Use Of Theories In Hermeneutics And Psychoanalysis, Crapanzano's Method Is Ethnographic. By Looking At Contemporary Theories As An Ethnologist Might View The Theories Of The People He Studies, He Aims To Invert Their Processes, And Thus To Restore A Sense Of Naturalness To Our Experience Of Self, Dialogue, And Cultural Exchange. Introduction ---- I. The Textualized Self. 1. Centering --- 2. Hermes' Dilemma --- 3. The Self, The Third, And Desire --- 4. Self-characterization ---- Ii. The Dialogic Self. 5. Text, Transference, And Indexicality --- 6. Talking (about) Psychoanalysis --- 8. Mohammed And Dawia --- 9. Dialogue ---- Iii. The Experienced Self. 9. Symbols And Symbolizing --- 10. Glossing Emotions --- 11. Saints, Jnun, And, Dreams --- 12. Rite Of Return ---- Iv. The Submerged Self. 13. Maimed Rites And Wild And Whirling Words. Vincent Crapanzano. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [357]-375) And Index.

Treating subjects as diverse as Roman carnivals and Balinese cockfights, circumcision, dreaming, and spirit possession in Morocco, transference in psychoanalysis, self-characterization in teenage girls' gossip, Alice in Wonderland, and Jane Austen's Emma, dialogue models in hermeneutics, and semantic vertigo in Hamlet's Elsinore, these essays look critically at the inner workings of interpretation in human sciences and literary study.

In modern Western culture's attempts to interpret and communicate the nature of other cultures, Crapanzano finds a crippling crisis in representation. He shows how the quest for knowledge of "exotic" and "primitive" people is often confused with an unexamined need for self-definition, and he sets forth the resulting interpretive paradoxes, particularly the suppression of any awareness of the play of power and desire in such an approach. What is missing from contemporary theories of interpretation is, in Crapanzano's account, a crucial understanding of the role context plays in any act of communication or its representation-in interpretation itself.

Treating subjects as diverse as Roman carnivals and Balinese cockfights, circumcision, dreaming, and spirit possession in Morocco, transference in psychoanalysis, self-characterization in teenage girls' gossip, __Alice in Wonderland__, and Jane Austen's __Emma__, dialogue models in hermeneutics, and semantic vertigo in Hamlet's Elsinore, these essays look critically at the inner workings of interpretation in human sciences and literary study. A collection of essays that question how the human sciences, particularly anthropology and psychoanalysis, articulate their fields of study; Crapanzano addresses the enormous problem of describing the self in both its individual and collective projections.