Introduction: The Politics of Gesture
Michael J. Braddick
At the heart of academic case for ‘thick description’ lies ambiguous meaning a physical movement—a boy ‘rapidly contracting his right eyelid’. A simple observation (it is said) will not disclose signal—a twitch, wink, or parody somebody's conspiratorial wink might all appear same. Only an ethnographic analysis meaning, meanings, this movement to those at scene. 1 Of course, almost historians kind invited by point departure impossible but thought has been influential in reading particular texts. In Darnton's celebrated essay on massacre cats Paris 1730s, example, similar methodological move made: ‘when you realise that are getting something—a joke, proverb, ceremony—that particularly meaningful natives, can see where grasp foreign system order unravel it’. 2 The inexplicit unstated action utterance what discloses cultural frame observer; or, close explicit reveals conceptual underpinnings which make it seem possible, natural, participants. Here there is, perhaps, connection with Cambridge school intellectual history, informed Austin's writing speech acts and intent recovering ‘illocutionary force’ texts through thorough contextualization, including attention said, choice made among available means expression. 3 oft-remarked convergence social, political, history as central concern importance implicit understanding was going on, meant Non-verbal communication face-to-face encounters crucial enterprise, volume explores how far get entering terrain.
Past & Present