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Douglas, Dirt, and Matter Out of Place

Mary Douglas defined dirt as matter out of place – the crossing of boundaries

Anthropology

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Mary Douglas defined dirt as matter out of place. Socks are not inherently dirty all the time.

A piece of toast is not inherently dirty, but a sock on a piece of toast is gross. As is finding toast in a sock drawer.

What offends us here is the crossing of boundaries

Douglas outlines this theory of dirtiness, boundaries, and taboos in her classic book Purity and Danger.

Purity and Danger

Mary Douglas

Purity and danger is considered an anthropological classic. Douglas analyses of the concepts of pollution, taboo, dirt, cleanliness, and power across cultures.

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