前個學期我修一門進階的當代理論課，其中最舊的一本書就是Mary Douglas的大作
Purity and Danger，這本是那門課老師說她認為所以人類學學生在研究所一定得讀
到的書。因為我們一個禮拜讀一本書，所以到期末的時候，班上讀書會發起一人寫
一本讀書摘要、關鍵概念，我就挑了這一本。因為我是用英文寫的，在這邊我只翻譯
我寫的main argument摘要。我在關鍵概念部分都有註明引用頁數好方便以後資料索引，
但這本書改版多次，我用的版本是1992年版，所可能會跟其他有這本書的版友手上的頁
次會有些落差。
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Douglas, Mary
1966[1992] Purity and Danger. New York: Routledge.
Key Concepts:
classification, order, morality, pollution, danger and power
Main Arguments:
Mary Douglas was influenced by structuralism and concerned classification
and ordering systems. From her point of view, the notion of pollution is
actually produced by the classification and ordering systems. Thus “matter
out of place” would be regarded as dirt endangering the order. Therefore
the idea of purity and pollution also create the sense of morality to define
proper behaviors. Yet, Douglas continued to argue that danger also had its
own power that could be used or integrated into the society later.
Mary Douglas是結構主義者。她在這本書關注分類與秩序系統。她視污染的概念為分類
秩序系統的產物。簡單來說，"污穢/潔淨"的概念是一組分類秩序系統。而外於其所的
事物（matter out of place）就被被當作一種足以危害秩序的污穢。也因此，"污穢/潔淨"
的概念也設定了道德規範，定義了適當的舉止。然而，作者又進一步論證認為污穢帶來的
危險也蘊含著力量，那股力量是可以被社會所整合或挪用的。
Key Terms:
[Pollution] The notion of pollution is “the by-product of a systematic
ordering and classification of matter” to recognize and reject the existence
of anomaly or ambiguity simultaneously (Douglas 1966: 35, 37, 160, 178-9).
Douglas develops “the old definition of dirt as matter out of place” into
matter out of order and classification (Douglas 1966: 35, 112-3).
[Morality, Pollution, and Danger] The sense of pollution and danger can also
be “a kind of impersonal punishment for wrongdoings” to maintain or strengthen
the accepted social morality to prevent any inappropriate behaviors “crossing
the line” and “endangering others” (Douglas 1966: 3, 133, 139). Thus Douglas
suggests “the rituals enact the form of social relations and in giving these
relations visible expression they enable people to know their own society” and
our body also become the “symbolic medium” to practice the beliefs of pollution
and taboo (Douglas 1966: 128).
[Danger and Power] The notion of disorder coexists with the notion of order and
it is not negative at all. The Douglas believes disorder symbolizes not only
danger but also power which can become ‘creative’ after the harness ritual
“continually modifying or enriching” order (Douglas 1966: 4-5, 72, 94, 161);
and the power of anomaly or ambiguity can also be utilized or integrated into
the system and reshape the social form (Douglas 1966: 101, 165, 178-9).
[Anomaly and\or Ambiguity] Anomaly is matter out of classification and ambiguity
is matter cannot be classified. The former is the rejected objected and the later
is the unrecognized object. Douglas noticed the different between anomaly and
ambiguity but suggested “there was very little advantage in distinguishing between
two terms” (Douglas 1966: 37). You may consider comparing her ideas with the
discussion about “ambivalence” by Homi K. Bhabha.
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