Compares various research techniques used by anthropologists and historians to explain the past and to provide insights into other cultures. Employs examples from various historical periods and cultural studies (particularly the enlightenment) to show that uniform, unmediated objectivity across cultures is neither necessary nor desirable. (DB)

In this article, historical aspects of the pre-Lenten celebration of Carnival are discussed and the Carnival is examined in terms of its meaning as a "rite of passage." One of the most important functions of Carnival is its original one of being a ritual with profound secular and religious implications. (Author/MC)

Applies palimpsest as model for recognizing Chicano cultural diversity. Promotes interdisciplinary approach to Chicano studies. Examines Aztlan (Aztec homeland) as historical place and nationalist symbol obscuring Chicano identity and Mesoamerican diversity. Encourages use of palimpsest as conceptual tool for Chicano studies, cultural identity,…

The variety of culturally-constituted conceptions of self are investigated in this essay. A history of ethnopsychology is given which includes an examination of evolutionist and sociological theories of the self in relation to culture and society. Various approaches to ethnopsychology are considered, and different facets of the self are explored.…

Demonstrates why terms like "tribe" cannot be transferred from ethnographic descriptions to political history. Critiques her work with Central African tribes, comparing African and American Indian societies to show that what looks like a tribal entity is usually a political polity with its own history of growth and decline. (LFL)