Power And Its Disguises

'Gledhill manages to cover a lot of ground in drawing out the thematic and theoretical focuses of political anthropology, brilliantly giving them life through a wide variety of empirical examples. ... The book will serve as a very good introduction to political anthropology for any student of power and politics.' Journal of Peace ResearchIn this fully updated edition of Power and Its Disguises, John Gledhill explores both the complexities of local situations and the power relations that shape the global order. He shows how historically informed anthropological perspectives can contribute to debates about democratisation by incorporating a 'view from below' and revealing forces that shape power relations behind the formal facade of state institutions. Examples are drawn from Brazil, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Indonesia, India, Mexico, Peru, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Sri Lanka, amongst others.

This work explores both the complexities of local situations and the power relations that shape the global order. It analyzes the politics of societies without indigenous states and non-Western agrarian civilizations to confront the politics of domination within the colonial contexts.

Preface To The Second Edition 1 Locating The Political: A Political Anthropology For Today 2 The Origins And Limits Of Coercive Power: The Anthropology Of Stateless Societies 3 From Hierarchy To Surveillance: The Politics Of Agrarian Civilizations And The Rise Of The Western National State 4 The Political Anthropology Of Colonialism: A Study Of Domination And Resistance 5 Post-Colonial States: Legacies Of History And Pressures Of Modernity 6 From Macro-Structure To Micro-Process: Anthropological Analysis Of Political Practice 7 Political Process And 'Global Disorder': Perspectives On Contemporary Conflict And Violence 8 Society Against The Modern State?: The Politics Of Social Movements 9 Anthropology And Politics: Commitment, Responsibility And The Academy Bibliography Index