Perspectives on Cannibalism. A Comparison of William Aren, Beth Conklin and Lindenbaum

Patrick Kimuyu

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Seminar paper from the year 2016 in the subject Pedagogy - Science, Theory, Anthropology, grade: 1, Egerton University, language:...

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Seminar paper from the year 2016 in the subject Pedagogy - Science, Theory, Anthropology, grade: 1, Egerton University, language: English, abstract: The topic of cannibalism in anthropology seems to encompass an unprecedented controversy, owing to the diverse perspectives of different anthropologists. It has remained as one of the ancient taboos across cultures although it is surrounded by mystery, speculation, myth, fear and symbolism. Historically, the practice of cannibalism is believed to have survived across cultures over centuries to the modern times and, its significance in different cultures varies significantly. Some cultures considered cannibalism as a revered and sacred custom but, in other cultures, it was considered as a sacrilegious and an atrocious practice. It is worth noting that cannibalism seems to have existed among communities, although William Aren's book "The Man-Eating Myth: Anthropology & Anthropophagy" portrayed the seemingly old-age practice as a myth. This literature sparked an unprecedented criticism from a number of anthropologists such as Beth A. Conklin and Lindenbaum who gave contradictory perspectives. Therefore, this essay will give a comprehensive discussion of the different perspectives from Aren, Conklin and Lindenbaum over the issue of cannibalism.