“边界”:社会科学的重要概念

Boundary:An Important Concept of Social Sciences

从20世纪60年代起,“边界”(boundary)日渐成为社会科学的重要概念。在诸如集体认同、社会分层、等级、阶级、族群性、民族主义、性别与性别不平等,以及共同体、地方性等课题的研究中,这一概念不可或缺。在社会人文学科里,“边界”往往用在象征的层面,因而是观念性和心理性的。文章先就“边界”概念及其相关学说作梗概性讨论,继而就人与动物的边界以及文野之别、社会空间里的边界、仪式与边界等问题略作探讨。

From 1960s on boundary has increasingly become an important concept to social sciences.In research topics such as collective identities,social stratification,caste,class,ethnicity,nationalism,gender and gender inequality,and community and locality etc.,this concept play an important role.In humanity and social sciences,the term boundary is more frequently applied in terms of symbolic aspects so it is conceptual and psychic.This article discusses the concept of the term and some relevant theories in the first place,then focuses on topics such as distinctions between human and nonhuman animals,civilized and uncivilized,boundaries in social space,and ritual and boundaries.