The terms ”great and little traditions” were coined by:
Correct Answer :
Robert Redfield
Solution :
The correct option is Robert Redfield.
Step-by-step Explanation:
1. Origin of the Terms: The concepts of the "great and little traditions" were introduced by the prominent American anthropologist Robert Redfield in the mid-20th century, most notably in his influential work Peasant Society and Culture (1956). Redfield developed these concepts to analyze the cultural complexity of peasant societies within larger civilizations.
2. Understanding the Great Tradition: According to Redfield, the Great Tradition represents the formal, literate, and reflective cultural dimension of a civilization. It is cultivated in schools, temples, and urban centers, and is maintained by the elite, philosophers, and religious specialists.
3. Understanding the Little Tradition: Conversely, the Little Tradition represents the informal, largely oral, and unreflective cultural dimension. It is lived out by the rural, peasant majority and is passed down through local customs, folklore, and everyday practices.
4. Interdependent Relationship: Redfield argued that the great and little traditions are not isolated from one another. Instead, they continuously interact, influence, and shape each other over time within a unified civilizational framework.
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