W 1/16                        The External Other

Reading Assignment: Geertz, and Lingis (“Matagalpa,” “The Trace of an Imperative,” and “The Other”)

 

1. How does Geertz contrast the reception he and his wife received in the Balinese village with other places that he had been? Why did this reception abruptly change?

 

2. We often describe the actions of people in other cultures as irrational. How does Geertz defend the betting practices in Balinese cockfighting against these charges?

 

3. In your view, how well is Lingis informed about Nicaragua and how sensitive is he to its differences? At the same time, what aspects of his experience are romanticized or fantasies?