In this article, 1 explore how the Long Geng Badeng Kenyah community of Sarawak converted to Christianity even though there was no sustained missionary persuasion from the outside. Over a period of study, I eventually...In this article, 1 explore how the Long Geng Badeng Kenyah community of Sarawak converted to Christianity even though there was no sustained missionary persuasion from the outside. Over a period of study, I eventually accept the simple emic explanation that ＂it is easy when you are a Christian＂ to be an important explanation. Central to this view is that Christianity provides an alternative religion that allows the people to avoid the need to observe the many troublesome taboos that hinder frequent traveling and engaging in various kinds of economic activities. The influence of relatives is an important factor, too, and as more people become Christians, the traditional Bungan followers lose the support to continue with the traditional religion and eventually almost all follow their relatives to adopt the new religion, which they find do not hinder practicing their culture other than replacing the traditional worship with the Christian way. The ethnographic study provides the opportunity to relate to recent scholarship on the anthropology of Christianity, and facilitates anthropological reflection on the study of cultural change, in particular, in relation to the work of Marshall Sahlins.展开更多
Development is achieved neither from the vacuum nor from the abstract. It takes place in a social context and responds to specific social conditions. Many countries in Africa （especially in the sub-Saharan area） con...Development is achieved neither from the vacuum nor from the abstract. It takes place in a social context and responds to specific social conditions. Many countries in Africa （especially in the sub-Saharan area） consider that the main potential contribution an agenda for socio-economic development could provide would be to put socio-anthropoiogical studies of development back at the center of concerns. Likewise, the nature of the commitment of theorists and practitioners of yesterday and today, in a context that is described as post-colonial, especially around development projects policies, is to encourage more comprehensive and effective new approaches with regard to development in Africa. Moreover, achieving development requires also global actions to deliver on the legitimate aspiration towards further economic and social progress, requiring growth and employment, and at the same time strengthening the education system by using academic institutions, and systems to the right to make decisions about programs, quality standards, and a veriety of other educational factors.展开更多
文摘In this article, 1 explore how the Long Geng Badeng Kenyah community of Sarawak converted to Christianity even though there was no sustained missionary persuasion from the outside. Over a period of study, I eventually accept the simple emic explanation that ＂it is easy when you are a Christian＂ to be an important explanation. Central to this view is that Christianity provides an alternative religion that allows the people to avoid the need to observe the many troublesome taboos that hinder frequent traveling and engaging in various kinds of economic activities. The influence of relatives is an important factor, too, and as more people become Christians, the traditional Bungan followers lose the support to continue with the traditional religion and eventually almost all follow their relatives to adopt the new religion, which they find do not hinder practicing their culture other than replacing the traditional worship with the Christian way. The ethnographic study provides the opportunity to relate to recent scholarship on the anthropology of Christianity, and facilitates anthropological reflection on the study of cultural change, in particular, in relation to the work of Marshall Sahlins.
文摘Development is achieved neither from the vacuum nor from the abstract. It takes place in a social context and responds to specific social conditions. Many countries in Africa （especially in the sub-Saharan area） consider that the main potential contribution an agenda for socio-economic development could provide would be to put socio-anthropoiogical studies of development back at the center of concerns. Likewise, the nature of the commitment of theorists and practitioners of yesterday and today, in a context that is described as post-colonial, especially around development projects policies, is to encourage more comprehensive and effective new approaches with regard to development in Africa. Moreover, achieving development requires also global actions to deliver on the legitimate aspiration towards further economic and social progress, requiring growth and employment, and at the same time strengthening the education system by using academic institutions, and systems to the right to make decisions about programs, quality standards, and a veriety of other educational factors.
