Institution: An Important Dimension Of Cultural Studies

As anthropologist,Malinowski contributes a lot to cultural anthropology.And the much more important thing is,he made all around depicts for cultures by means of positivistic research,which embodies a feature of cultural integrity.It makes a common ground for Malinowski’s culture theory and the cultural philosophy.We derived his philosophy stand from Malinowski’s view of culture and institution,which leads to a conclusion that Malinowski’s research is identical with the cultural philosophy in two remarkable aspects.The first is that Malinowski shelved discussion on ontology but focused on cultural practice,which is coincident with the non-binaryopposition stands,and the practical feature of the cultural philosophy.Meanwhile,Malinowski marched into the daily domain owe to his focus on institutions,which leads a common focus with the cultural philosophy as well.It is safe to say that Malinowski was,although,not a philosopher,but contributed a cultural theory of the cultural philosophy and for the cultural philosophy.When Malinowski’s theory of institution is re-dug under the new thinking mode of cultural philosophy,not only the institutional dimension for cultural research is rediscovered,but also rich resources is introduced into the cultural philosophical view on institution that institution is an all-aspect entity with different levels,and an abstract entity closely related to human’s nature as well,which can be understand only in a instinctive way.The cultural philosophy needs institutional dimension to deepen our understanding to culture and human.Starting from Malinowski’s research under the thinking pattern of cultural philosophy,we can not only re-discover the institutional dimension for cultural philosophy,but also make a symbolic understanding on institution,so as to establish a new ontology of existence,and to further discover the value feature of institutions in the relationship between the institution’s functions and human needs,and then find a common value standard of justice,tolerance and efficiency,in institutional dimension of culture philosophy.In addition,Institutional analysis also provides an instrument for cultural analysis and criticism.Through the philosophical research on Malinowski,the dissertation did some elementary work on establishing the institutional dimension for cultural philosophy.And the shortcoming of Malinowski’s cultural theory also were pointed out,that his conservative metaphysical inclination must be conquered.