The presence of Louis Dumont: An interview with Joel Robbins

Abstract

The interview, conducted via an exchange of e-mails, explores Joel Robbins' contributions to the reappraisal and resurgence of Louis Dumont's work in contemporary anthropology. Starting from the central concept of "value", the concept of relationism proposed by Robbins is explored as the counterpart of Dumont's holism versus individualism dualism, as well as the unfolding of these notions in an anthropology of Christianity exemplified by Robbins' research in Melanesia.