Critical Ethnocentrism in the Historical and Anthropological Research of Ernesto De Martino

Abstract

The article begins by acknowledging the positive reception of Ernesto De Martino’s concept of «Critical Ethnocentrism» in France and the United States. Despite the intriguing and thought-provoking nature of this proposal, it did not lead to rich analytical commentary or substantial critical contributions. According to the author, only a small number of scholars have addressed or critiqued the excessive focus on the «centrality of Western culture» when analyzing the wide diversity of cultures around the world. Furthermore, De Martino’s assertion that the study of the «limits» of the Western world is essential has not been explored in depth. The general characteristics and variations of the widespread human tendency toward ethnocentrism – a phenomenon present across all human cultures – also remain largely unexamined from a comparative perspective, both by De Martino and his followers. Another debated aspect of De Martino’s approach is his apparent reluctance to consider ethnography as the fundamental documentary «center» for all theoretical frameworks in anthropological research. In conclusion, by critically reviewing the responses elicited by De Martino’s concept of «Critical Ethnocentrism», the author argues that this highly relevant and intellectually stimulating idea has not received the thorough and profound analysis it warrants.