The return of the peasant: a review of essentialisms and heterogeneities in anthropology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22380/2539472X.1201Keywords:
Peasant, polybiano,, Mexico, Cauca, anthropologyAbstract
Critical review of concepts used in anthropology is an important aspect in the production of knowledge. This essay examines the case of peasant as a concept whose usefulness has recently been questioned by a number of scholars, especially from within a type of anthropology emanating from the metropolis. The critique analyzed here stems from the recent work of Michael Kearney, who has suggested substituting it for the term polybian, which addresses the current condition of rural populations that no longer remain in their place of origin. The essay argues that while this may be the case for Mexico, this cannot be extended to other parts of Latin America, since such a category may not adequately describe these populations.
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