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Claude Levi-Strauss is dead

 
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On the other hand



Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue

PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:55 pm    Post subject: Claude Levi-Strauss is dead Reply with quote

Until about a year ago, when I did some research following a class discussion where his name had come up, I was actually unaware that he was still alive. Anyway, I'm not much into anthropology, but I'd imagine some people here might have found him of some interest, so here it is, somewhat belatedly...

The Guardian obit
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ddeubel



Joined: 20 Jul 2005

PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for letting me know. Sad day, for sure.

I really was motivated by him - especially Triste Tropiques, a masterful and wandering book of insight. I also think many language teachers could use a dose of understanding the roots of culture and Levi Strauss though a little difficult, offers so much. His "Structural Anthropology" should be necessary reading in all TESOL courses but alas, most have very pedantic content and divorce themselves from any cross cultural and anthropological content.

For me, Levi Strauss' biggest contribution was how he provided a framework by which all cultures "categorize" the world. The notion of "cleanliness' being one of the foremost archtypes [ not meaning as you would think but rather - us / them - raw/cooked etc.... this all fits into the "cleanliness" category ]

Again, thanks. I'll pick up something of his today in honor.

DD
http://eflclassroom.com
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Big_Bird



Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...

PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm surprised to hear that he was recently still alive!

ddeubel wrote:
His "Structural Anthropology" should be necessary reading in all TESOL courses but alas, most have very pedantic content and divorce themselves from any cross cultural and anthropological content.


That wasn't my experience, either at diploma or post-graduate level. In fact one of my favourite courses ever was Intercultural Communication, offered in the post grad. A fascinating subject, and very relevant to language teaching, as you say.
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djsmnc



Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Dave's ESL Cafe

PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've always thought his jeans are made well and affordable, which has probably lended to their enormous international popularity.
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ddeubel



Joined: 20 Jul 2005

PostPosted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:

ddeubel wrote:
His "Structural Anthropology" should be necessary reading in all TESOL courses but alas, most have very pedantic content and divorce themselves from any cross cultural and anthropological content.

Big Bird wrote
That wasn't my experience, either at diploma or post-graduate level. In fact one of my favourite courses ever was Intercultural Communication, offered in the post grad. A fascinating subject, and very relevant to language teaching, as you say.


You must have had enlightened professors. My prof on this subject was not too well versed on this stuff at all - intercultural communication was mostly a lot of modern quiz and pop / Oprah psychology stuff. First grad program was in a different field. The profs though nice, really were much like djsmnc. Good to hear you had a substantial program.

I guess Lacan, another of those "good Frenchmen" like a whole host of others of this generation - Maritain, Gide, Stein, Foucault, Satre, Camus, would probably say this to djsmnc -

"For the signifier is a unit in its very uniqueness, being by nature symbol only of an absence. "
( a very important notion in linguistics and especially semiotics)
DD
http://eflclassroom.com
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