Choice and morality in anthropological perspective : essays in honor of Derek Freeman /

These papers honor a scholar known for more contentiousness than for his varied contributions to anthropology. The papers convey an outlook--treating social life as structured yet the site of momentous choices, and social inquiry as both scientific and heroic--that Freeman has imparted to colleagues and students. The high points of the collection occur in essays by Michael Young, T.N. Madan, and Gilbert Herdt that are rich in ethnographic detail, finely analyzed, and well written. These authors explore themes of ambivalence and moral limits in social life. Several contributions offer useful reflections on theoretical issues. Since all the papers deal with "choice"--a notion defined variously, if at all--this is an unusually coherent festschrift. Recommended for advanced undergraduates and up. -J. Kirkpatrick, Nomos Institute/University of Hawaii at Manoa