James W. Fernandez

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To search for the Bwiti order in codified form, although it may gratify a western need for abstractions of that kid, yet misses the Bwiti moral oder where it reposes: in the images and actions of Bwiti myths and legends, in the night-long rituals and accompany song cycle, in the architectonic of the cult house, and in the midnight “evangilies” of cult leaders, the moral order is more acted out than spelled out, more ritualistic than didactic…it is as much as anything a kinesthetic oder that is gradually exposes to the membership in the process of their worship. [18]

Fernandez published his findings in multiple articles including: “Principles of Opposition and Vitality in Fang Aesthetics”, [19]  “Christian Acculturation and Fang Witchcraft”, [20]  “Fang Architectonics”, [21]  “Symbolic Consensus in a Fang Reformative Cult”, [22]  “Fang Reliquary Art: Its Quantities and Qualities”, [23]  and “Bwiti: An Ethnography of the Religious Imagination in Africa”. [24]

Additional field work

In addition to his fieldwork in Spain and with the Fang, Fernandez conducted several other studies. In 1958–1959 he studied the culture of change in Río Muni and Gabon. [9]  For a year in 1960 he conducted ethnohistorical research Germany and France. [9]  From 1965 to 1966 he conducted research in other parts of Africa focusing on change in Zulu culture and change in Ewe-Adza culture. [9]

Theory and use of tropes

Fernandez is most known for his writings and theories regarding tropes. Fernandez builds upon the traditional meaning of trope to include “the metaphoric assertions men make about themselves or about others”. [25] In this way tropes can be seen as a connection between metaphors and actions. [26] In the words of Jerry D. Moore in his book Visions of culture:

Fernandez frequently refers to the “movement” in this process, transitions from an ill-defined or vague status to one that is concert and specific. That movement from the ill-defined to the specific characterizes semantic metaphors (“my love is a red, red rose”) and also social metaphors (“Men are dirty pigs”). Moment from the vague to the concrete also characterizes symbolic action during ritual. [27]

It is this focus on change, and the use and interplay of tropes that guides the ethnographic field research of Fernandez. Focusing on tropes requires a huge effort however on the part of the researcher, they must perform a lot of participate observation, and formulate a cultural lexicon that is unique to that particular society. [27] Fernandez borrows some ideas from the field of linguistics and uses them to formulate his ideas of seeing culture as a complex and continuous play of tropes. [2] While his theories about tropes influenced all of his writing, they are most concisely expressed in two publications: Persuasions and performances; the play of tropes in culture [28]  and Beyond Metaphor: the theory of tropes in Anthropology. [29]

Post-modern influence

Many of the theories and publications of Fernandez can be classified as being influenced by postmodernism. [30] The postmodernist approach in anthropology can most clearly be seen in ethnography. [3] It shies away from seeing cultures as examples of far reaching theories (like functionalism, cultural materialism, or structuralism) and turns the focus to an “ethnography of experience” that is emic in nature and requires new methods. [3] Fernandez used the term “immaculate perceptions” to point out that perceptions are never true reflections of reality, they cannot be separated from the background of the viewer. [3] Postmodernism in anthropology seeks to do several things; it states there is never one truth but several, models of society in anthropology are influenced but the culture of those who create them, anthropologists must find a way to identify and order symbols and concepts by the framework and understanding of the society in question. This is in opposition to the traditional model of viewing symbols and actions and seeing how they fit in all encompassing western based societal theories. [31]

Teaching

Fernandez has taught at several American universities. Fernandez started his teaching career at Smith College as a teaching assistant. In 1964 he changed schools and started teaching at Dartmouth College. [32] From 1971–1975 he was chair of the department of anthropology at Dartmouth College. After Dartmouth he left to teach at Princeton University where he also became department chair in 1978. [6]  He then taught at the University of Chicago until he retired in 2000. [6]  He was a professor of Anthropology and Social sciences and currently holds the title of professor emeritus. [6]  Fernandez also taught abroad. He lectured in Germany and Spain on “contemporary native religious movements in Africa”. [9]  From 1962 to 1966 he was an occasional lecturer for the Peace Corps. [9]

Publications

Fernandez has written several books and many scholarly articles. He is credited for writing over 170 published works. [6]  Mostly notably are the books: Persuasions and Performances, Beyond metaphor, Bwiti: an Ethnography of the religious imagination, On symbols in Anthropology, Fang Architectonics, Divinations confessions testimonies, and The conditions of Reciprocal Understanding. A complete list of his published works is contained in his CV. [9]

Notes

References

  • Ackerman, R. (1993). "Review: [Untitled]". Anthropos. 88 (1/3): 236–238. JSTOR   40462776.
  • Alexandre, P. (1979). "Review: [Untitled]". Africa: Journal of the International African Institute. 49 (2): 207–208. doi:10.2307/1158699. JSTOR   1158699. S2CID   143229373.
  • Barnard, A. (2004). Interpretive and postmodernist approaches. In History and Theory In Anthropology. Vol. 49. Cambridge: Cambridge University press. pp. 172–173.
  • Conrad, D. (1988). "Review: [Untitled]". The International Journal of African Historical Studies. 21 (3): 515–517. doi:10.2307/219458. JSTOR   219458.
  • Fernandez, J. (1961). "Christian Acculturation and Fang Witchcraft". Cahiers d'Études Africaines. 2 (6): 244–270. doi:10.3406/cea.1961.2972. JSTOR   4390798.
  • Fernandez, J. (1965). "Symbolic Consensus in a Fang Reformative Cult". American Anthropologist. 67 (4): 902–929. doi: 10.1525/aa.1965.67.4.02a00030 . JSTOR   668773.
  • Fernandez, J. (1966). "Principles of Opposition and Vitality in Fang Aesthetics". The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism. 25 (1): 53–64. doi:10.2307/428884. JSTOR   428884.
  • Fernandez, J.; Fernandez, R. (1975). "Fang Reliquary Art: Its Quantities and Qualities". Cahiers d'Études Africaines. 15 (60): 723–746. doi:10.3406/cea.1975.3371. JSTOR   4391434.
  • Fernandez, J. (1983). "Consciousness and Class in Southern Spain". American Ethnologist. 10 (1): 165–173. doi: 10.1525/ae.1983.10.1.02a00100 . JSTOR   644710.
  • Fernandez, J. (1986). Persuasions and performances: the play of tropes in culture. Bloomington: Indiana University press.
  • Fernandez, J. (1988). "Andalusia on Our Minds: Two Contrasting Places in Spain as Seen in a Vernacular Poetic Duel of the Late 19th Century". Cultural Anthropology. 3 (1): 21–35. doi:10.1525/can.1988.3.1.02a00030. JSTOR   656306.
  • Fernandez, J. (June 2006). "Curriculum Vitae". University of Chicago. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  • Moore, J. D. (2009). James Fernandez: The Play of Tropes. In Visions of culture: An introduction to anthropological theories and theorists. Lanham, MD: Altamira Press. pp. 295–307.
  • Ruel, M. (1990). "FERNANDEZ, James W., Persuasions and Performances: The play of tropes in culture" . Journal of Religion in Africa. 20 (3): 279–280. doi:10.1163/157006690X00196 . Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  • Schoffeleers, M. (1986). "Review: [Untitled]". Africa: Journal of the International African Institute. 56 (3): 352–356. doi:10.2307/1160689. JSTOR   1160689. S2CID   151685939.
  • University of Chicago (2020). "James W. Fernandez". University of Chicago. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  • John Simon Guggenheim Foundation (2003). "James W. Fernandez". Guggenheim Foundation. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
James W. Fernandez
Born (1930-11-27) November 27, 1930 (age 94)
Awards Guggenheim Fellowship, 2003
Academic background
EducationBA, Amherst College, 1952
PhD, Northwestern University, 1962