After Nature: English Kinship in the Late Twentieth Century

After Nature examines English kinship and identity through an anthropological lens, focusing on how reproductive technologies and changing social norms have impacted British culture. The work draws from Strathern's extensive fieldwork and analysis of English society in the late 20th century. The book traces shifts in how the English conceptualize nature, family relationships, and personhood from the 1860s through the 1980s. Strathern uses diverse sources including scientific writings, legal documents, and popular media to construct her analysis of these changing cultural perspectives. The narrative explores how developments in artificial reproduction, genetics, and biomedicine have altered traditional English ideas about parenthood, inheritance, and identity. These technological advances serve as a framework for investigating broader changes in how English society understands itself and its relationship to nature. This anthropological work raises fundamental questions about the intersection of culture, technology, and human relationships in modern Britain. Through its examination of English kinship systems, the book offers insights into how societies adapt their core concepts when faced with technological and social transformation.

Readers view this anthropological text as dense and theoretically challenging, according to online reviews. Many note it requires multiple readings to grasp the concepts. Readers appreciate: - The comparative analysis between English and Melanesian kinship systems - Fresh perspectives on how technology impacts family relationships - Strong theoretical framework for studying modern kinship Common criticisms: - Complex, abstract writing style that can be difficult to follow - Assumes significant background knowledge in anthropology - Limited concrete examples to illustrate key points A graduate student on Goodreads notes: "Her writing style is unnecessarily complex - she could make her points more clearly." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (48 ratings) Amazon: 3.8/5 (6 ratings) Many reviewers suggest reading this alongside other kinship texts for better comprehension. Academic readers rate it more favorably than general readers seeking an introduction to the topic.

The Gender of the Gift by Marilyn Strathern Explores Melanesian kinship and gender relations through a perspective that challenges Western concepts of personhood and exchange.

What Kinship Is - And Is Not by Marshall Sahlins Examines the foundations of kinship through cross-cultural analysis to demonstrate how relatedness operates beyond biological connections.

Partial Connections by Marilyn Strathern Presents an analysis of complexity in anthropological writing and knowledge-making through examination of relations between parts and wholes.

Time and the Other by Johannes Fabian Critiques anthropology's construction of its subjects through temporal distancing and the politics of knowledge production.

The Invention of Culture by Roy Wagner Demonstrates how culture emerges through the dialectical relationship between convention and invention across different societies.

🌿 Marilyn Strathern wrote this influential work after serving as curator of the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, bringing her unique perspective on material culture to the analysis of English kinship. 🧬 The book explores how reproductive technologies and genetic engineering were fundamentally changing how English people understood family relationships in the late 20th century. 👥 Strathern introduces the concept of "merographic connections" - the idea that in English culture, things are always seen as parts of different wholes simultaneously, which shapes how people understand relationships and identity. 🎓 The work emerged from Strathern's 1989 Lewis Henry Morgan Lectures at the University of Rochester, a prestigious series named after one of anthropology's founding fathers. 🌍 The book draws fascinating parallels between Melanesian and English kinship systems, challenging the assumption that Western family structures are the natural or default model for human relationships.