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Mary Douglas Biography

Dame Mary Douglas, DBE, FBA (25 March 1921 – 16 May 2007) was a British anthropologist, known for her writings on human culture and symbolism, whose area of speciality was social anthropology. Douglas was considered a follower of Émile Durkheim and a proponent of structuralist analysis, with a strong interest in comparative religion.

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Mary Douglas Quotes

The theory of cultural bias. . . is the idea that a culture is based on a particular form of organization. It can't be transplanted except to another variant of that organization.

Culture, Ideas, Organization, Prejudice, Transplanted, Variant

Any great organization can go through sectarian phases.

Great Organizations, Organization, Phases, Sectarian

If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization.

Change, Culture, Organization, Start

If people want to compete for leadership of a religious group, they can compete in piety. A chilling thought. Or funny.

Religious, People, Competition, Leadership, Group, Chilling

When we are reflecting on terrorism we can grieve for many things we do and have done.

Done, Grieving, Reflecting, Terrorism, Things

I have increasingly, over the years, felt that religion today does our civilization more harm than good.

Civilization, Doe, Increasingly, Today, Years

Real equality is immensely difficult to achieve, it needs continual revision and monitoring of distributions. And it does not provide buffers between members, so they are continually colliding or frustrating each other.

Real, Equality, Frustrated, Monitoring, Frustrating, Needs

Since 1970, relationships can be more volatile, jobs more ephemeral, geographical mobility more intensified, stability of marriage weaker.

1970, Ephemeral, Intensified, Jobs, Mobility, Volatile

Every year the progress of advanced capitalist society makes our population consist of more and more isolates. This is because of the infrastructure of the economy, especially electronic communications.

Communication, Communications, Isolates, Population, Progress, Years

Hierarchy is is much reviled in the present day.

Day, Hierarchy, Present, Present Day, Reviled

I am sure it must be true that people opt out of the mainstream society because they feel that there are going to be no rewards for them, if they stay.

Mainstream Society, People, Rewards, Society, Stay

I am convinced that living in an enclave shapes the personality, and living alone shapes the personality too.

Personality, Shapes, Living Alone, Convinced, Enclave, Alone

The history of the Church of Rome is a constant leakage of members into such breakaway cults, which go on splitting.

Rome, Church, Goes On, Constant, Cults

Enclave life becomes very tense, Even when they do elect a leader, the factions remain, with the threat of splitting off.

Leader, Factions, Tense, Splitting

It's unlikely that the organized religions will get more sectarian. . . or is it? I am not at all sure.

Unlikely, Organized, Organized Religion, Religions, Sectarian

Inside a religious body you get sects and hierarchies, inside an information network you get bazaars and cathedrals, it is the same, call them what you like. They survive by pointing the finger of blame at each other.

Religious, Bazaars, Body, Call

Islam is in principle egalitarian, and has always had problems with power.

Egalitarianism, Islam, Principles, Principle, Problems, Power

Just in our lifetime our society has become looser and more private, it becomes extremely difficult to hold to any permanent commitment whatever, least of all to organized religion.

Commitment, Lifetime, Our Society, Permanent, Religion

It seems true that the growth of science and secularism made organized Christianity feel under threat.

Christian, Growth, Made, Secularism, Under

Yes, disappointment over perceived unfairness, injustice, promises not kept, tends to go hand in hand with increasing prosperity. Expectations are dashed. What can I say!

Disappointment, Hands, Expectations, Kept

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