Taboo Truth and Religion

<p> Franz Steiner's study of <i>Taboo</i> is internationally recognized as a classic in its field. In a newly researched introductory chapter based on a thorough study of Steiner's unpublished papers this edition for the first time places the book in its context and offers a new reading of the text. More than just a critique of existing taboo theories as it has often been seen this study offers a profound analysis of danger behavior and pollution in non-civilized societies. This provided an important starting-point for Mary Douglas' <i>Purity and Danger</i>. A key aspect of Steiner's achievement lies in his attempt to reconcile detailed faithful ethnographic analysis with anthropological comparison. His analysis of taboo thus provides a case study with wide-ranging ramifications.</p><p> This new edition makes a classic text available once again to students and general readers. A major new introduction based on archival research offers for the first time a biography and critical study of Franz Steiner; it not only places him in the context of British and European thought but also shows his importance for contemporary debates among them deconstruction and Orientalism.</p>