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The talk goes outside: argument, privacy and power in Mambila society. Towards a sociology of embedded praxis

Zeitlyn, David (2003) The talk goes outside: argument, privacy and power in Mambila society. Towards a sociology of embedded praxis. Africa, 73 (4). pp. 606-622. ISSN 0001-9720. (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:3679)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.

Abstract

In this paper the sociological implications of loud argument are considered, by taking a case study from the Mambila in Cameroon. Meetings of rotating credit societies are non-traditional forums where power and status are in dispute. These meetings contrast with both domestic arguments and with disputes held in the Chief's court. Rotating credit society meetings usually include arguments but these are dismissed as being unimportant by local informants. They pose a challenge for anthropological analysis since they are such a regular but disregarded-and disparaged-occurrence. Raised voices increase the range of bystanders as witnesses, so to argue loudly is a very social act.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Depositing User: D. Zeitlyn
Date Deposited: 22 Sep 2008 21:43 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:42 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/3679 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Zeitlyn, David.

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