Culture is an "ensemble of texts…which the anthropologist strains to read over the shoulders of those to whom they properly belong." Whose words are these?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

These words are from Clifford Geertz's book "Local Knowledge: Further Essays in Interpretive Anthropology." Geertz believed that culture is not just a set of practices or behaviors but rather a system of meaning that must be interpreted and understood through its texts, symbols, and artifacts. Geertz argued that anthropologists must immerse themselves in the cultural world of their informants in order to grasp the meanings and significance of their practices and beliefs.

Culture Is an "Ensemble of Texts…which the Anthropologist Strains to Read