The world renouncer and man-in-the-world
Revisiting an old paradigm
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3865005 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Patrick Olivelle (corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 15-30 |
| Publication date | 2024-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Contributions to Indian Sociology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0069-9659 • E-ISSN: 0069-9667 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/00699659241257035 |
| OpenAlex | W4404195012 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 11 |
This article is a critical re-evaluation of Louis Dumont's theory of the opposition between the man-in-the-world and the world renouncer within traditional Indian society. Drawing on new research into gṛhastha, the most common indigenous term for a householder, the article shows that Dumont's theory is basically flawed. When due attention is paid to historical developments within Hinduism, the grhastha and the renouncer ( pravrajita) are seen as complementary and sharing a common ideology. Contrary to Dumont's basic thesis, the individual is conceptually very much alive within society and not just within its repudiation in the institution of world renunciation
Media studies · Sociology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Anthropology · History · Religion and Society Interactions · Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |