Marshall Sahlins centers these essays on islands—Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand—whose histories have intersected with European history. But he is also concerned with the insular thinking in Western scholarship that creates false dichotomies between past and present, between structure and event, between the individual and society. Sahlins's provocative reflections form a powerful critique of Western history and anthropology.
Marshall Sahlins centers these essays on islands—Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand—whose histories have intersected with European history. But he is also concerned with the insular thinking in Western scholarship that creates false dichotomies between past and present, between structure and event, between the individual and society. Sahlins's provocative reflections form a powerful critique of Western history and anthropology.
Introduction 1. Supplement to the Voyage of Cook; or, le calcul sauvage 2. Other Times, Other Customs: The Anthropology of History 3. The Stranger-King; or, Dumézil among the Fijians 4. Captain James Cook; or, The Dying God 5. Structure and History Bibliography Index