Lost People: Magic and the Legacy of Slavery in Madagascar

By David Graeber

Betafo, a rural community in central Madagascar, is divided between the descendants of nobles and descendants of slaves. Anthropologist David Graeber arrived for fieldwork at the height of tensions attributed to a disastrous communal ordeal two years earlier. As Graeber uncovers the layers of historical, social, and cultural knowledge required to understand this event, he elaborates a new view of power, inequality, and the political role of narrative. Combining theoretical subtlety, a compelling narrative line, and vividly drawn characters, Lost People is a singular contribution to the anthropology of politics and the literature on ethnographic writing.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0253219159
• ISBN13: 9780253219152
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Indiana University Press
• Length: 488 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.1" x 9.3"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher