| Abstrakt: |
In the present days, culture has become a highly personal experience moving from its initial collective locus. As a consequence, the concept has undergone a process of unseen pluralization and expansion of meanings and interpretations. Herder is conventionally held responsible for coining the plural term ‘cultures’ by linking it with the eighteenth-century idea of nation. This conception evolved into a broader approach to look at cultural phenomena as national manifestations. Despite common assumptions, Herder did not ignore the role of the individual locus. Historical epistemology shows how, in the United States, a derivation of the Herderian notions took the pluralization of culture to the next level. By putting emphasis on the psychological and individual elements, the founders of American anthropology, Boas and his followers, revolutionized the conceptual frameworks in human and social sciences. It is possible to argue that personalization of culture is a secondary effect of Herder’s ideas. The Herderian-Boasian vision of culture mirrors the dichotomy between nationalization and personalization that activates strong conceptual mutations and reflects the dilemmas of the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
