essay
On the continuing relevance of E. R. Leach's Political systems of Highland Burma to Kachin studies
Social dynamics in the highlands of Southeast Asia: reconsidering political systems of Highland Burma by E.R. Leach • 18 • Published In 2007 • Pages: 31-66
By: Maran, La Raw.
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This document, by indigenous Kachin professional anthropologist, discusses the continuing relevance of E. R. Leach's book Political Systems of Highland Burma to Kachin studies. It shows that the book had serious weaknesses and misunderstandings which Kachin scholars tried to correct through publications over the years. The most important of these weaknesses include Leach's conception of the Kachin as passive subjects of history, and inadequate translation of key political terms mostly because of lack of empirical data on the local context and varied meanings people used them.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Reviews and critiques
- Cultural identity and pride
- Form and rules of government
- History
- Towns
- Revolution
- Political movements
- External relations
- Warfare
- Social relationships and groups
- Publishing
- Inter-community relations
- Administrative agencies
- Status, role, and prestige
- Territorial hierarchy
- Classes
- Mode of marriage
- Kin relationships
- Lineages
- Cultural participation
- Ingroup antagonisms
- Political parties
- Slavery
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Kachin
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2012
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Asia
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Southeast Asia
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- essay
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Anthropologist
- Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- Teferi Abate Adem; 2011
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- no date
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 1888-2007
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Kachin State, Burma
- NotesAdditional notes
- Maran La Raw
- For bibliographical references see document 34:Robinne and Sadan
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 2007298875
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Kachin (Asian people)