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Author(s) -
Susan Stanford Friedman
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
k and k/kandk
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2246-2589
pISSN - 0905-6998
DOI - 10.7146/kok.v47i127.114742
Subject(s) - dialectic , normative , reciprocity (cultural anthropology) , argument (complex analysis) , uniqueness , epistemology , opposition (politics) , focus (optics) , context (archaeology) , sociology , positive economics , political science , economics , philosophy , law , social science , history , physics , politics , biochemistry , chemistry , optics , archaeology
This article gives a critical overview over risks inherent in comparison, –risks of inequality between the two compared phenomena, the risk of using a normative standard, derived from one work or context for the evaluation of another work or another context, the risk of reducing the uniqueness of a work to generic or topical dimensions etc. However, the article moves on to make a strong argument for the necessity of comparison. It suggests the development of a more dynamic, dialectic and relational form of comparison. The article argues that any comparison is full of contradictory movements and therefore argues that a modern comparative method should focus on incommensurable juxtapositions, on contrapuntal opposition and reciprocity.