Geertz 1973 thick description

A summary of thick description the interpretation of cultures. This cited by count includes citations to the following articles in scholar. Geertzs response to this situation is most succinctly laid out in his famous essay, thick description, from which the following selection is excerpted. The act of winking involves twitching ones eye muscles so that the lids of the eye blink. Thick description, i believe, is the methodology of a perfectionist and is what brought geertz to his interesting theory of hermeneutics anthropology and semiotic culture. Geertz contends that it is the duty of the ethnographer to accurately decipher and objectively report cultural representations. Following ryle, geertz holds that anthropologys task is that of explaining cultures through thick description which specifies many details, conceptual structures and meanings, and which is opposed to thin description which is a factual account without any interpretation. Clifford geertz thick description interpretive theory of. The ethnographers role is to observe and analyse a culture by interpreting signs to understand deeper meanings within the context of that culture. Geertz applied thick description to anthropological studies, particularly to his own interpretive anthropology, urging anthropologists to consider the limitations placed upon them by their own cultural cosmologies when attempting to.

A summary of thick description the interpretation of cultures in the interpretation of cultures, clifford geertz outlines in broader sense the job of an ethnographer. It is a qualitative ethnographic research technique. Thick description is a way of writing that includes not only describing and observation usually of human behaviour but also the context in which that behaviour occurs. Thick description is a research technique that gives detailed descriptions and interpretations of situations observed by a researcher. Toward an interpretive theory of culture expounds upon the intricacies of ethnography. The ethnographers role is to observe and analyse a culture by interpreting signs to. Reading with and against clifford geertzs 1973 essay thick description. The late clifford geertz was lauded for his 1973 anthropological volume, and i do not find this to be hype. It was invented by social anthropologists gilbert ryle and clifford geertz. The phrase was the title of the first essay in the volume of the collected essays, and geertz explained at the time that he had written it to state his.

Clifford geertz interpretive anthropology essay example. Geertzs 1973 adaptation of thick description was expanded upon by the noted qualitative researcher and professor of communications, sociology, and humanities, norman k. Geertz applied thick description to anthropological studies specifically his own interpretive anthropology, while producing theory that had implications for other social sciences. Clifford geertzs thick description iter per litteras. Contents preface part i 4 chapter 11 thick description. May 26, 2011 geertz described the practice of thick description as a way of providing cultural context and meaning that people place on actions, words, things, etc. Toward an interpretive theory of culture geertz 1973. Geertz argues that all human behaviour is like this.

Broadly, the ethnographers aim is to observe, record, and analyze a culture. Bibliography o geertz, c, the interpretation of cultures 1973thick description. Thick descriptions provide enough context so that a person outside the culture can make meaning of the behavior. Toward an interpretive theory of culture, synthesizes his approach. In this video, i take an introduction to geertz s thought. Thick description, innovated by american anthropologist clifford geertz 1973, who adopted the term from british philosopher gilbert ryle 1971, provides a conceptual framework for interpreting. By calling for a semiotic approach to culture, geertz sought to distinguish culture from social structures. In his first chapter in the interpretation of cultures, clifford geertz discusses the role of the ethnographer. Geertz thick description, the interpretation of cultures. Culture, geertz argues, does not drive human behavior. With the interpretation of cultures, the distinguished anthropologist clifford geertz developed the concept of thick description, and in so doing, he virtually rewrote the rules of his field.

Add one setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your universitys proxy server configure custom proxy use this if. Jul 16, 2015 thick description is a way of writing that includes not only describing and observation usually of human behaviour but also the context in which that behaviour occurs. Doc reflections on clifford geertz 1973 thick description anne. Brief note on the origins, evolution, and meaning of the. The term thick descriptions was first used by ryle 1949 and later by geertz 1973 who applied it in ethnography thick descripton refers to the detailed account of field experiences in which the researcher makes explicit the patterns of cultural and social relationships and puts them in context holloway, 1997 this can be contrasted with thin description, which is a superficial account. Believing, with max weber, that man is an animal suspended in. Sep, 2019 geertz uses gilbert ryles term thick description to describe the intellectual effort of anthropology 6. Thick description is the term that geertz 1973 used to describe ethnography in one of the most famous and influential anthropology texts in the second half of the twentieth century. A few zealots persist in the old keytotheuni verse view of it. Anthropology as a natural science clifford geertzs extrinsic theory of the mind. Thick description emphasized a more analytical approach, whereas previously observation alone was the primary approach. While it was gilbert ryle who first used the term thick description, it was clifford geertz is the person who made thick description famous.

Thin description by contrast, is stating facts without such meaning or. Clifford geertz, american cultural anthropologist, a leading rhetorician and proponent of symbolic anthropology and interpretive anthropology. Denzin, who noted, a thick description does more than record what a person is doing. Through symbolic interaction people gain a worldview and learn how to behave. To geertz, analysis separated observation from interpretative methodologies. Geertz wrote about it in his article thick description. He therefore distinguishes between a thin description, which to extend our example describes only the wink itself, and a thick description, which explains the context of the practices and discourse within a society. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Geertz uses gilbert ryles term thick description to describe the intellectual effort of anthropology 6. Oct 30, 2006 geertz aimed to provide the social sciences with an understanding and appreciation of thick description. Geertz described the practice of thick description as a way of providing cultural context and meaning that people place on actions, words, things, etc. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In his early career during the 1960s geertz studied the social sciences inter disciplinary under the direction of talcott parsons, parsons had grand designs for the social sciences, he wanted to bring them together to have an allround view of what he classed as culture. The term thick description was made famous by anthropologist clifford geertz who wrote in this style as a way of capturing his brand of ethnography in the 1970s. In this video, i take an introduction to geertzs thought. Slide 9 thick description is the meaning of actions and explains the behaviour and also its context, so that behaviour becomes meaningful to an outsider. Toward an interpretive theory of culture, i discuss how thick description of diverse economic practices can be combined with weak theory to produce a. Sep 04, 2012 a summary of thick description the interpretation of cultures in the interpretation of cultures, clifford geertz outlines in broader sense the job of an ethnographer. The interpretation of cultures is an academic classic. Geertz views culture as a web of meaning people create while they are born into that web they are part of it.

Geertz s response to this situation is most succinctly laid out in his famous essay, thick description, from which the following selection is excerpted. Rather, it is a web of symbols that can help us better understand what that behavior means. Employing the method of thick description the term introduced by philosopher gilbert ryle, geertz inscribes the phenomenon of cockfighting into a detailed context, envisaging it as a cultural phenomenon that represents a simulation of social matrix and reveals the nonobvious hierarchies that pervade the entire society. The ones marked may be different from the article in the profile. Geertz differentiates these two descriptions using the example of winking. Geertzs opening reference to susanne langers 1942 philosophy in a new key fundamentally functions as an acknowledgement of the intellectual predecessor of thomas kuhns 1962 the structure of scientific revolutions, in which the term paradigm shift was coined. Clifford geertz set forth interpretative anthropology as a natural science, based on the extrinsic theory of the mind. Clifford geertzs thick description explained summary. The interpretation of cultures basic books classics. Thick description an overview sciencedirect topics. Qualitative methods critique of clifford geertzs thick. Thick description qualitative research guidelines project.

Navy in world war ii 194345, geertz studied at antioch college, ohio b. Geertz concept of culture and his thick description. Buy the interpretation of cultures basic books classics new ed by geertz, clifford isbn. Rwjf qualitative research guidelines project thick description. The anthropologist clifford geertzs influential method for the interpretation of other cultures was what we termed thick description. Geertz 1973 takes issue with the state of anthropological practices in understanding.

Geertz 1973 takes issue with the state of anthropological practices in. Thick descriptions toward an interpretive theory of culture geertz c. Toward an interpretive theory of culture i in her book, philosophy in a new key, susanne langer remarks that certain ideas burst upon the intellectual landscape with a tremendous force. A summary of thick description the interpretation of. Add one setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your universitys proxy server configure custom proxy use this if your affiliation does not provide a proxy. Clifford geertz american anthropologist britannica. In perhaps the most quoted passage in interpretive anthropology, geertzs the interpretation of cultures defines culture and thick description as follows. October 10, 2016 this week i was grateful for reading. Geertz described the practice of thick description as a way of providing cultural context and meaning that people place on. Selected essays clifford geertz basic books, 1973 chapter i thick description.

Toward an interpretive theory of culture 1973, geertz explains that he adopted the term from philosopher gilbert ryle, specifically his lecture what is le. Toward an interpretive vii theory of culture 3 part ii chapter 21 the impact of the concept of culture on the concept of man 33 chapter 31 the growth of culture and the evolution of mind 55 part iii chapter 41 religion as a cultural system 87 chapter 51 ethos, world view, and the analysis of. This term coincides with its antonym, thin description. Geertz aimed to provide the social sciences with an understanding and appreciation of thick description. Nov 02, 2018 the anthropologist clifford geertz s influential method for the interpretation of other cultures was what we termed thick description. The term thick descriptions was first used by ryle 1949 and later by geertz 1973 who applied it in ethnography thick descripton refers to the detailed account of field experiences in which the researcher makes explicit the patterns of cultural and social relationships and puts them in context holloway, 1997. The object of ethnography is between the thin and thick description. The essay by anthropologist clifford geertz, which first appeared in his bestknown book the interpretation of cultures, has been published in russian as a separate work in garage and ad marginem presss minima series deep play is a study of the balinese tradition of cockfighting, based on a year of anthropological research conducted by geertz at the end of the 1950s, when he and his wife. The book is structured around anthropological description, with geertz relying on field data he gathered mostly in the 1950s and 1960s. Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. The term thick descriptions was first used by ryle 1949 and later by geertz 1973 who applied it in ethnography. Towards an interpretive theory of culture clifford geertz. In her book, philosophy in a new key, susanne langer remarks that certain.