Anthropological Theory Research Articles

Tangible consumption data landscapes of teenagers

Teenagers are increasingly concerned about clean energy and play a crucial role in driving energy transition. In this study, I investigate how teenagers understand energy consumption, how tangible data mapping through anthropological theories may increase their awareness, and what ideas they may have about how to change habits. I present an approach for designing new data physicalizations, shaping how to facilitate data interaction sessions, and analyzing data physicalization and interactions based on Ingoldian concepts such as the Life of Lines and Imagining for Real. The empirical material includes 1-h sessions in two secondary education schools with 30 teenagers and video-recorded explanations about their consumption habits. The teenagers completed a questionnaire, drew a layout drawing of their home, and built a physical model of their home with products and rooms representing their energy consumption. The data landscapes encouraged participants to explore the perceptual integrity of energy-consuming habits and identify ways to change them. The self-expressive sessions demonstrate that the three data-mapping techniques enable teenagers to recount their daily consumption patterns. In particular, the tangible mapping of Consumption Data Landscapes can open avenues for engagement to increase their awareness of energy consumption and spawn responsibility for a change of habits.

Didactic transposition of loan repayments in economics and the place of the discrete-continuous interplay

Abstract The study reported in this paper is motivated by an article published on a financial portal that presented loan repayments with a continuous approach, as opposed to the discrete approach of addressing loan repayments applied in mathematics courses for economists. Using the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic, we analyse the current didactic transposition of this content, based on a textbook for mathematics in economics and five interviews with teachers of mathematics and of economics, inquiring about their practices in teaching related to loan repayments in economics. The interviewed teachers indicated that this content is presented in a discrete way in mathematics courses for economics, although for reasons that do not seem directly connected to the content itself. Additionally, although the participants see the interest of considering the use of continuous variables and graphs, several constraints prevent them from their use in the context of loan repayments.

The dawn of division: For an anthropological theory of consciousness through contemplative ethnography

AbstractThe article delves into the need for an anthropological exploration of consciousness in the modern context. While anthropology's core focus has always been the study of the human subject, this study argues that consciousness has emerged as a fundamental aspect that underpins all human phenomena. The historical trajectory of anthropology, from its positivist leanings to contemporary shifts like the phenomenological and ontological turns, is examined to highlight the evolving perspective on subjectivity and alterity. The author's ethnographic studies, particularly within the realm of contemplative practices like traditional Buddhist meditation and mindfulness, reveal a crucial connection between consciousness and anthropological inquiry, challenging the inherent bias and dualistic thinking within anthropology, particularly concerning the dichotomy of self and other, evident even in studies of meditation. The proposal of “mindful ethnography” is introduced as a means to transcend this dualism, drawing inspiration from Buddhist philosophy. The study presents consciousness as a central concern for anthropology, calling for a reevaluation of traditional frameworks and the adoption of a more mindful and non‐dualistic approach to anthropological research. Through a thorough investigation of consciousness, the article seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of human experience and reshape the trajectory of anthropological inquiry in a modern context.

Review of Gary Clark, Carl Jung and the Evolutionary Sciences: A New Vision for Analytical Psychology. London and New York: Routledge, 2025

Abstract Carl Jung and the Evolutionary Sciences: A New Vision for Analytical Psychology by Gary Clark returns to the anthropological theories of Jung’s time to assess whether they, and those of Jung’s ideas informed by them, remain useful for contemporary Jungian research in light of more recent scientific advances. This essay presents Clark’s central claims, including his validation of Jung’s use of supposedly discredited evolutionary beliefs, and evaluates whether Clark’s project truly represents ‘a new vision for analytical psychology’.

Praxeology Analysis of The Arabic Language Textbook for Madrasah Ibtidaiyah

This study aims to analyze the Arabic language textbook for Grade 1 of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah, published by the Directorate of KSKK, Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, and to identify the characteristics of Arabic language task design from the perspective of didactic anthropology theory, specifically praxeology. The research method employed in this study is descriptive qualitative, utilizing a literature research design. Data collection techniques include both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources consist of the Arabic language textbook for Grade 1 published by the Directorate of KSKK, while secondary sources encompass relevant books and journals. Data analysis employs qualitative methods, which include data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results indicate that the first part of the task design (T1) could not be analyzed using praxeology, as it did not incorporate specific techniques. Furthermore, the types of tasks (T2-T6) have not effectively constructed the theory of students' ability to communicate in Arabic, as the overall task presentations rely heavily on teacher direction. Additionally, obstacles to student learning were identified, including ontogenic and didactic challenges.

Children’s rhymes, timeless melodies: uncovering the role and significance of amaXhosa children’s rhyme songs using cultural anthropological theory

The amaXhosa children’s rhyme songs, whether in their indigenous form or as adaptations or recontextualizations, remain downplayed in terms of scholarly scrutinization. Accordingly, this article aims to underline the roles, symbolisms, and significant meanings of three amaXhosa children’s rhyme songs. Purposive sampling is employed to recognize the three songs as a primary source of data. To address the aim, cultural anthropological theory is applied as one that unravels the roles, symbolisms, and significant meanings of these songs. Ultimately, three findings emerge. First, children’s rhyme songs serve as powerful vehicles for cultural transmission, cementing and continuing cultural identity, value systems, and traditions. Second, cultural anthropological interpretation unmasks that rhyming children’s songs plays a central role in advancing social cohesion, consciousness, and community bonding. Third, one uncovers the developmental impact and didactic value of children’s rhyme songs. In closing, these findings underscore the multifaceted role of children’s rhyme songs as cultural artifacts that transcend musical compositions, symbolizing the crux of human experience and community resilience through melody, rhythm, and tradition.

Philosophical and Anthropological Theory of Violence by René Girard

Purpose. The article aims to examine the key aspects of the theory of mimetic violence by the famous French thinker René Girard. Theoretical basis. The study is based on René Girard’s fundamental theory of violence, which includes the concepts of mimesis and sacrificial cycle. Girard argues that violence arises from mimetic rivalry, when people imitate each other’s desires and actions, leading to conflicts and crises. The theory suggests that societies historically resolved these crises and prevented chaos through scapegoating rituals. Christianity, however, stands apart in Girard’s view by rejecting sacrificial cults and instead offering Christ’s non-violent example as a path to conflict resolution. Originality. Girard’s concept of mimetic desire explains how people’s tendency to imitate others’ desires leads to rivalry and conflict. These tensions are typically resolved through scapegoating – directing collective aggression toward a common target. The term "scapegoat" itself stems from the Biblical ritual described in Leviticus, where a goat symbolically carried away the community’s sins. The mechanism remains universal, operating in both archaic and modern societies. The authors examine how this dynamic relates to modern totalitarianism and its exploitation of collective violence. They emphasize Girard’s analysis of Christianity’s unique role in countering violence, specifically through its radical proposition that it is better to be victimized than to victimize others. Conclusions. These examples demonstrate how victim sacralization rituals maintain social order, supporting Girard’s assertion that ancient and modern myths share fundamental similarities. Girard’s theory transcends religious and mythological contexts, offering a lens through which to examine diverse anthropological and social phenomena. His ideas offer a profound understanding of the mechanisms of collective violence and their consequences, including the connection between mimetic violence and possible apocalyptic scenarios.

Philosophical and Anthropological Vision of the Idea of Spirituality in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy

Purpose. The article is a philosophical and anthropological representation of the idea of spirituality in The Foundation Trilogy by the American science fiction writer, philosopher, populariser of science Isaac Asimov. Theoretical basis. The study is based on an understanding of the worldview imperatives of Asimov’s work, which highlight his philosophical and anthropological vision of spirituality as a historically established property of a rationally organised society and a key condition for its progressive evolution. The emergence, stochasticity and eventuality of the development of the modern global society brings the content of A. Azimov’s philosophical and anthropological ideas to a fundamentally new level of understanding of the further development of humanity. Asimov’s articulation of the idea of spirituality in The Foundation Trilogy allows us to define the philosophical and anthropological concept of the writer in the fullness of its social, philosophical, existential and axiological dimensions. Originality. The authors have substantiated the expediency and relevance of considering the idea of spirituality in A. Asimov’s Foundation trilogy in the semantic field of philosophical anthropology. It is shown that Asimov’s philosophical anthropology has a clearly expressed teleological "load". In the writer’s interpretation, a person of the future is not a "posthuman" with a biological nature altered by special technologies, but a person focused on spiritual development and self-improvement based on the eternal values enshrined in the mental code of Homo sapiens – happiness, love, freedom, dignity, independence, patriotism. Conclusions. Foundation is a multifaceted work, rich in plot, compositionally mosaic and polyphonic, in which, at first glance, it is difficult to identify any dominant idea. In the course of the study, it was found that one of the main content centres in A. Asimov’s works is the philosophical and anthropological discourse, in the space of which considerable attention is paid to human spirituality.

Interrelation of Religion and Culture: An Analysis of Honoring Asyhur Al-Hurum Culture on Cliford Greetz's Anthropological Theory

Religion and culture are two interconnected entities. However, there are some groups who claimed that Islam is against local culture and traditions. That arguments are significant to be reviewed and studied comprehensively. This research aims to review the interrelation between Islamic teachings and the culture of honoring asyhur al-hurum from the perspective of Clifford Geertz's anthropological theory. With a library research approach and qualitative method, this research results that the teachings in Islam appreciate and are accommodative of local traditions. Many pre-Islamic traditions have been adopted and then integrated into Islam, one of them is the culture of honoring asyhur al-hurum (Rajab, Dhulqa'dah, Dhulhijjah, and Muharram). There are several verses of the Qur'an that contain an appreciative attitude towards this culture, including QS al-Baqarah verses 194, 197, and 217; QS al-Maidah verses 2 and 97; QS al-Taubah verse 36. Some of the verses mentioned provide an understanding that Islam is a religion that strengthens respect for the culture of the glory of the haram months (asyhur al-hurum). The verse reflects the tahmil process as a form of dialectic between the Qur'an and culture. Based on the analysis using Clifford Geertz's theory of models for reality and models of reality, the teachings in Islam instruct Muslims to glorify the haram months by increasing worship, both ritual worship and social worship related to cultural practices that apply in a multicultural society. The interrelation between religious teachings about the haram months and local culture contributes to the formation of collective identity, both in religious and social contexts.

Socioeconomic Variation in Motivations for Ritual Practice

This paper investigates socioeconomic variation in motivations for ritual practices among Mauritian Hindus. Using cultural domain analysis, we explore individuals’ reported reasons for engaging in a variety of religious rituals. Our findings demonstrate significant intra-cultural diversity driven by social stratification. Specifically, we observe that those of lower social standing appear primarily motivated by existential concerns related to material security and safety, while higher-status individuals view these practices as platforms for personal and social enrichment, as they are more preoccupied with self-actualization, spiritual connection, and social affirmation, reflecting a more abstract engagement with religious practices. Our findings reveal the adaptability of ritual practices to meet a wide range of human needs across varying life circumstances, as rituals can be differentially negotiated by individuals within the same cultural context depending on the specific socioecological niches they occupy. Moreover, they highlight the role of culture as a dynamic and distributed system with important implications for anthropological theory and practice.

Understanding health communication processes and challenges: cultural insights from Katkari tribal in western Maharashtra, India

Communication is integral to human interaction, facilitating information exchange and conveying symbolic meaning. In the realm of public health, effective communication is paramount for disease prevention, health promotion, emergency preparedness, dissemination of government health initiatives including policies. This qualitative inquiry explores the intricacies of communication within the Katkari tribe, a minority group residing in western Maharashtra, India. Utilizing anthropological theories, the study seeks to unravel how culture influences health communication among the community. The objectives encompass investigating health communication sources, examining communication patterns through a cultural lens, and documenting challenges in public health communication. Using an inductive approach to the data analysis, the themes that emerged, included the Accredited Social Health Activist, (ASHA), television, social media as the factors influencing health communication dynamics, including the effects of media and technology on tribal health and lifestyle, challenges in terms of gaps in comprehension and action, barriers of language, social isolation, deep seated misconceptions and the cultural influences on health behaviour and the strategies recommended to overcome the challenges. To improve health communication for India's tribal populations, it's crucial to use culturally tailored approaches. This includes incorporating traditional art and local artists, using multimedia tools like radio jingles and videos, offering incentives to healthcare workers, and employing visual aids in simplified language. Engagement of local communities in the process will lead to an effective implementation of health communication policies.

ADDRESSING WATER SCARCITY THROUGH STATISTICAL INQUIRY IN TEACHER EDUCATION

This article presents the design and implementation of a study and research path for teacher education (SRP-TE) based on the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic. The goal is to analyze this teacher education proposal for inclusive statistics education aiming to overcome constraints derived from the phenomenon of the transparency of data treatment. The proposal starts with a newspaper report about the loss of water resources in Brazil and questions the data supporting it. The study focuses on one of the participating teachers from a disadvantaged region in the Northeast, where she worked in a rural school with few resources and poor infrastructure. The course helped her implement an inquiry activity with her sixth-grade students and mobilize digital resources for data visualization and graph representations. This case study contributed to analyzing how the SRP-TE promoted teachers’ professional development and provided elements for teaching inclusive statistics.

The Relevance of Muslim Identity Voters in Elections in Banjarnegara Regency

General elections (elections) in Indonesia are often influenced by identity factors, especially religious identity. This article explains the relevance of Muslim identity voters in the context of elections. This study shows that religious identity plays a significant role in influencing the behavior of Muslim voters. Muslim voters tend to choose candidates who represent Islamic values and symbols, such as religious appearances and support for religious issues. This study uses experimental survey data that compares voters' responses to candidates with religious and secular appearances, this is closely related to genetic theory in human anthropology as a central actor in the electoral cosmos. The results showed that Muslim voters were more likely to support religious-looking candidates, such as religious-looking women and secular-looking men who supported religious issues. In addition, this article also discusses identity polarization that plays a role in encouraging voter participation. Identity polarization makes elections emotional and religious identity is one of the main factors in choosing candidates.

Analysis of the Transposition of the Modelling Process into Mathematical Activity at Qualifying Secondary Level

The aim of this article is to study the teaching of the object 'modelling process' to secondary school pupils in Morocco. We are interested in the conditions and constraints of its dissemination in the mathematics classroom. The analysis is based on the Anthropological Theory of Didactics and uses the modelling process model of (Chevallard, 1999) to characterise the praxeologies (Bosch and Gascon, 2005) relating to the modelling process. Downstream of the need for knowledge relating to mathematical modelling, this study enabled us to illustrate the claim to implement didactic praxeologies specific to the modelling approach. Setting up a real situation with these pupils enabled us to identify the influence exerted by the modelling praxeologies on the pupils' results and the influence of external intervention when they were faced with a modelling situation. As a result, we noted a discrepancy between the modelling taught in the mathematics classroom and that designed by the experts.

Liminality between the lines: self-defined, socially constructed and ontological constraints in the narratives of Russian-medium school teachers in Estonia

PurposeThis study explores the segregated context of Estonian education systems, where Estonian and Russian medium schools coexist. Using the underrepresented theory of liminality in sociology, the author examines the vulnerable positions of teachers in Russian-medium schools.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews as the main method, the snowball sampling technique of data collection and a hybrid thematic analysis. The sample includes 27 teachers from around Estonia.FindingsThe findings reveal that these teachers experience different forms of liminality, shaped by self-defined, socially constructed and ontological constraints. These liminal moments foster teacher reflexivity, serving as a catalyst for their transformations while navigating the state of “in-betweenness.”Practical implicationsPractically, as Estonia continues to navigate its educational reforms and cultural shifts, recognizing and addressing the liminality of Russian-medium school teachers is crucial for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within the nation’s educational landscape.Originality/valueThe study brings theoretical novelty to the anthropological theory of liminality, combining it with a new empirical case of the Estonian parallel education system, which had been under-explored from the side of the Russian-speaking community (particularly the Russian-medium schools).

Beyond support or exploitation: inequality and reciprocity in informal housing arrangements between newcomers and their migrant hosts

ABSTRACT In cities facing housing shortages, vulnerable newcomers almost always live with family or friends upon arrival. While social networks are often seen as a source of support that facilitates migration and settlement, research has also shown that newcomers can be exploited by established migrants and relatives. Challenging the dichotomy between positive and negative social capital, this article reveals how exploitation and support coexist within social relationships. It shows how exploitation emerges from the ambiguous and implicit obligations of reciprocity that is inherent in informal support. Examining the informal housing arrangements and experiences of Colombian newcomers in Rotterdam (NL), this article analyses what support they receive from their hosts and how they reciprocate. It shows how the arrangements are shaped by the unequal positions of guests and hosts, and how they involve relational work. Through negotiating informal housing arrangements and reciprocity, guests and hosts negotiate and shape their relationship. The article draws on anthropological theories of gift-giving to explore the tensions and uncertainties that characterise hospitality. It shows how attention to reciprocity makes it possible to move beyond the opposition between support and exploitation and to understand how relationships can simultaneously be both supportive and exploitative.

Praxeological analysis in Indonesian and Singaporean mathematics textbooks: An understanding geometrical similarity by students

Mathematics textbooks are essential tools for facilitating the achievement of learning objectives, yet their use varies across classrooms, even when the same mathematical concepts are being taught. This study aims to investigate students' understanding of geometrical similarity through praxeological analysis within the framework of the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic (ATD). The analysis identifies differences in the structuring of geometrical similarity tasks between Indonesian and Singaporean textbooks. According to ATD praxeology, mathematical content is analyzed through the "praxis" and "logos" blocks, where praxis encompasses task types (T) and techniques (τ), while logos involves technology (θ) and theory (Θ). The findings highlight distinct priorities in how geometrical similarity is presented in textbooks from both countries, with implications for students’ conceptual and procedural understanding. Specifically, the absence of pantograph tasks in Singaporean textbooks and the lack of scale factor exercises in Indonesian textbooks reflect differences in knowledge construction and task emphasis. These variations impact students' ability to relate textbook knowledge to real-world applications. The study underscores the significance of incorporating a diverse range of task designs and practical experiences to enhance students' geometric reasoning abilities. A well-structured textbook not only supports students in achieving learning objectives but also fosters a continuous process of building, connecting, and deepening their mathematical understanding.

Learning to speak mathematically at the Japanese supplementary school in Sweden: critical cases of praxeological anomaly

AbstractNatural language is known to play a crucial and specific role for children’s learning in school mathematics. Not only does it carry special vocabulary, but subtle differences between natural languages may lead to surprising challenges, for instance, for learners who are not taught mathematics in their mother tongue. In this paper, the anthropological theory of didactic (ATD) is used as a main framework, and we analyse some praxeological anomalies from the teaching of fractions at Japanese schools abroad, while learners attend, at the same time, a regular school in some other language (in this case, the local language, Swedish). Our findings indicate that these praxeological anomalies arise not only from linguistic disparities related to specialised vocabulary and syntax for elementary mathematics but also from institutional and curricular differences. This study gives new insights on these language challenges related to mathematics as taught at expatriate schools, particularly in the case of Japanese.

Modelling mathematics for educational research and practice: a comparison of two theoretical approaches

The production and use of explicit models of mathematics are important elements of research in Didactics of Mathematics. In this paper, we present and compare two different European approaches to didactical modelling. The first, centred around the notion of basic idea (Grundvorstellung), arose in German-speaking countries as a development within Subject Matter Didactics (Stoffdidaktik). The second is the notion of praxeology from the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic, which originated in France. After presenting the genesis and interpretation of these notions as theoretical modelling tools, we provide a detailed case study of actual models produced with these tools, concerning the notion of limits and derivatives. Furthermore, we identify similarities and differences of both models in how they can support didactical research and practice, for instance, by identifying important phenomena or problems. We conclude that the two approaches offer important, different and, to some extent, complementary positions and perspectives.

Whorf’s Legacy in Anthropological Theory: Science, Mysticism, and the Role of Comparison

Whorf’s Legacy in Anthropological Theory: Science, Mysticism, and the Role of Comparison