Book
Features of person and society in Swat: collected essays on Pathans
Routledge and Kegan Paul • 2 • Published In 1981 • Pages: 6, 190
By: Barth, Fredrik.
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This is a comparative, theoretical study which reveals the progression of the author's thinking on the social system in the mountain-valley region of Swat. The first two-thirds of the book (Chapters 1-6) are reprinted essays analyzing the dominant features of social organization, including observations that were made in Barth's original fieldwork in 1954. A re-assessment of the author's earlier works as well as a response to his chief critics, especially Ahmed (1976) and Asad (1972) are presented in Chapter 7. (See 2:Ahmed; the Asad material has thus far not been processed for the file.) Barth applies various theoretical and organizational models to explain the territorial and social distribution of authority (Chapters 1 and 7), the rule of descent and the kinship basis of social groups (Chapter 3) and the priorities in Pashtun social and sexual relationships (Chapter 4). Barth describes social groupings among the Pashtun as having a caste and occupational component (Chapter 2). Such groups are also presented as contractual, patron-client arrangements and as lineage segments which enable tribal groups to form variable alliances and oppositions with each other (Chapters 2 and 3). The identity of Pashtun with respect to other groups occupying the same or adjacent territories is discussed in Chapters 1 and 5, while identity maintenance within Pashtun society is considered in Chapter 6. Much of the discussion in essence concerns group formation, particularly the roles of leaders and their efforts in securing a following. However, the precise nature of Pashtun social organization, both before and after Swat is incorporated into Pakistan (in 1969), remains a complex matter despite Barth's efforts to revitalize his theoretical position.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Territorial hierarchy
- Ethnic stratification
- Castes
- Occupational specialization
- Lineages
- Real property
- Acculturation and culture contact
- Social relationships and groups
- Sociocultural trends
- Community heads
- Prophets and ascetics
- Theoretical orientation in research and its results
- Chief executive
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Pashtun
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2002
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Asia
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Central Asia
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Ethnologist
- 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
- Delores Walters ; Gerald Reid ; 1988
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- 1954, 1960, 1974, 1978, 1979
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- nineteenth century - 1970s
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Swat region, northern Pakistan
- NotesAdditional notes
- Fredrik Barth
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 182-185)
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 80041524
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Pushtuns