About the House

Thedomesticunitisinseparablefromitshomestead,andthe'house',atonceaphysicalplaceandasocialunit,isoftenalsoaunitofproductionandconsumption,acultgroup,andevenapoliticalfaction.InspiredbyLévi-Strauss'ssuggestionthatthemulti-functionalnoblehousesofmedievalEuropeweresimplythebest-knownexamplesofawidespreadsocialinstitution,thecontributorstothiscollectionanalyse'house'systemsinSoutheastAsiaandSouthAmerica,exploringtheinterrelationshipsbetweenbuildings,people,andideas.Theyrevealsomeofthewaysinwhichhousescanstandforsocialgroupsandserveasimagesofprocessandorder.