Classics in Ethnology?
Is there a need for classics in ethnology? If so, which texts should be considered classics? In what way could these texts be a resource in the “everyday life” of ethnology? In this issue of Rig we address these interesting and difficult questions. Generally speaking ethnologists tend to know the history of the discipline rather well, but, at the same time, there seems to be a reluctance being associated with, or making use of research conducted ten years ago, not to mention even older studies. Thus, bringing the concept of classics into ethnology might seem to be odd since the concept, and the related concept of canon, often is associated with a conservative attitude. In other words, classics are something we, as ethnologists, do not want to be associated with. However, even though ethnologists try to avoid the concept, few of us would deny the existence of a silent canon. There is every reason to pay attention to this fact, as well as to discuss how the classics could be used in contemporary research.
