Anthropology and the study of earthen architecture in South Africa
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Date
2015
Authors
Van Vuuren, Chris J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
The contribution of anthropology to the study of shelter in Africa has been found
wanting. Social Anthropology in Africa and South Africa in particular has been guilty
of this neglect, while scholars from the Volkekunde paradigm have been documenting
house, settlement and material culture since the early 1900s. This neglect by
anthropology as a discipline could be remedied. The anthropologist as a fieldworker
is ideally positioned to study local knowledge and its manifestations and transfer in
the earth building world. Among others the resultant research could contribute to
our understanding of how poor people use earthen building knowledge to adapt in
changing environments such as informal settlements.
Description
Keywords
Social anthropology, Earthen architecture, Shelters
Citation
Van Vuuren, C. J. (2015). Anthropology and the study of earthen architecture in South Africa. Acta Academica, 47(2), 72-101.