Overview

In Communicating , the anthropologist Ruth Finnegan considers the many and varied modes through which we humans communicate and the multisensory resources we draw on. The book uncovers the amazing array of sounds, sights, smells, gestures, looks, movements, touches and material objects which humans use so creatively to interconnect both nearby and across space and time - resources consistently underestimated in those western ideologies that prioritise 'rationality' and referential language. Focusing on embodied and material processes, and on practice rather than text, this comparative analysis counters the cognitive and word-centred emphases of many current accounts of communication. With examples from many cultures and historical periods, Finnegan draws together recent research in anthropology, sociolinguistics, cultural studies, cultural history and animal communication to highlight the multidimensional character of human communicating. An essential transdisciplinary overview for researchers and advanced students in anthropology, communication and cultural studies, this authoritative but accessible book will also fascinate anyone with an interest in the remarkable ways we communicate.

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9780415241182

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Reviews

'Finnegan brings us to our senses in this finely argued book. She reminds us of just how much more than information exchange is involved in our human interconnectedness. Finally we have a book on communication that is as full and rich as communication itself. The book is full of the sights and the feel, the noise and smells of human life.' - Ron Scollon, Georgetown University

Author Information

Ruth Finnegan is Visiting Research Professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Open University.

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