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Ambiguity and Innovation: Implications for the Genesis of the Culture Broker 1
Author(s) -
PRESS IRWIN
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
american anthropologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1548-1433
pISSN - 0002-7294
DOI - 10.1525/aa.1969.71.2.02a00010
Subject(s) - innovator , ambiguity , mandate , peasant , function (biology) , sociology , business , law and economics , political science , law , philosophy , intellectual property , linguistics , evolutionary biology , biology
Essential to the function of an innovator—particularly a group‐straddling one such as a “marginal man” or “culture broker”—is the manner in which others view him and the genesis of his mandate to innovate. An account of the genesis of a culture broker in a Yucatan peasant community suggests that ambiguity during the development of the innovator role may allow novel behavior while retarding negative sanction. The case described may help us understand the manner in which culture‐straddling brokers arise and receive permission to innovate.