Procure Labors Lot: The Power, History, And Culture Of Aboriginal Action Translated By Elizabeth A. Povinelli Displayed In Manuscript

does an Aboriginal community see itself, its work, and its place on the land Elizabeth Povinelli goes to the Belyuen community of northern Australia to show how it draws from deep connections between labor, language, and the landscape.
Her findings challenge Western notions of "productive labor" and longstanding ideas about the role of culture in subsistence economies.


In , Povinelli shows how everyday activities shape Aboriginal identity and provide cultural meaning, She focuses on the Belyuen women's interactions with the countryside and on Belyuen conflicts with the Australian government over control of local land.
Her analysis raises serious questions about the validity of Western theories about labor and culture and their impact on Aboriginal society.


Povinelli's focus on women's activities provides an important counterpoint to recent works centering on male roles in huntergatherer societies.
Her unique "cultural economy"

approach overcomes the dichotomy between the two standard approaches to these studies.
will engage anyone interested in indigenous peoples or in the relationship between culture and economy in contemporary social practice.
Elizabeth A. Povinelli is Professor of Anthropology and Gender Studies at Columbia University where she has also been the Director of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender and the Co Director of the Centre for the Study of Law and Culture.
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