Mary Douglas Quotes

United Kingdom, Anthropologist
March 25, 1921 – May, 16, 2007.

Dame Mary Douglas, DBE FBA (25 March 1921 – 16 May 2007) was a British anthropologist, known for her writings on human culture and symbolism, whose area of speciality was social anthropology. Douglas was considered a follower of Émile Durkheim and a proponent of structuralist analysis, with a strong interest in comparative religion.

What did our nation ever do to provoke these madly vicious enemies? What is seen as injustice in one place is seen as just requital in the other.

Mary Douglas
The natural response of the old-timers is to build a strong moral wall against the outside. This is where the world starts to be painted in black and white, saints inside, and sinners outside the wall.

Mary Douglas
- World
- Black
- Strong

I am convinced that living in an enclave shapes the personality, and living alone shapes the personality too.

Mary Douglas
- Alone
- Personality
Inside a religious body you get sects and hierarchies, inside an information network you get bazaars and cathedrals, it is the same, call them what you like. They survive by pointing the finger of blame at each other.

Mary Douglas
- Religious
Yes, disappointment over perceived unfairness, injustice, promises not kept, tends to go hand in hand with increasing prosperity. Expectations are dashed. What can I say!

Mary Douglas
- Hand
- Disappointment
Some scholars have been arguing that a civilizational clash between organized religions is the next step in human history.

Mary Douglas
- History
Any great organization can go through sectarian phases.

Mary Douglas
- Great
- Organization
Hierarchy is is much reviled in the present day.

Mary Douglas
- Present

Islam is in principle egalitarian, and has always had problems with power.

Mary Douglas
- Power
It seems true that the growth of science and secularism made organized Christianity feel under threat.

Mary Douglas
- True
- Science
- Growth