Evans - Pritchard Azande Witchcraft, Oracles And Magic Study

Sir Edward Evans-Pritchard is one of the most renowned anthropologist in the history for his both theoretical and methodological contribution to this discipline. This paper dealing with his very first monogragh Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande published in 1937 aims to discover the way E-P express his theoretical concerns and its value. The introduction part of this paper covers the three questions of theme of this paper, reasons for studying it and how to approach it. A summerizing study of how E-P has been understood in anthropological history is the second chapter, which includes both western and domestic perspectives. The third chaper is briefly introducing E-P's life history and his academic experience. The mian body of this paper is in chapter four, interpreting and discussing one of his his masterpieces. The last part is the conclusion: the auther's understandind of E-P and this book, echoing the three questions brought up at the very beginning.Based on text analysis, it's believed that Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande is E-P's initial expression of his dissatisfaction with functionalism, although this book's framework is nothing but functional. Phenomenology is among the influences that shatters the hegemony of functionalism in E-P's time. The scientific status and its objectivity of anthropology is challenged, which leads to theoretical innovation i.e. taking the dialectical relation between agency and structure into consideration. Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande voices E-P's concern of this trend. Zande people act within the transcendental reaml of witchcraft in their lives and its validity has never been challenged in this culture. However, Zande people are cunning at the same time because they will adapt the doctrines to their own needs. Excuses are available in terms of the loopholes in witchcraft activities. Social factors are also mentioned, briefly though, in their belief system. Through this monograph, it can be implied that E-P's concern of local knowledge in study of religion, which unfold the interpretive anthrpology as a paradigm. This massive volume transcend a lot of ethnographies of all times.Nonetheless, this book is not without defects. As his tutor Seligman stated in it that the absence of religious belife and behavior of Azande is its major demerit because of the intimate relation between witchcraft and religion. The omission of religion shackles the presenting of Zande magic which is thus limited in the discussion of Zande logic. This regret is a bit overcritical although, it's a positive reflection to today's study of religion.