Unconscious Structures and Cultural Order: Reexploring The Lévi-Straussian Structuralist Project in Contemporary Anthropology

This article examines Claude Lévi-Strauss’s contribution to anthropology, focusing on his structuralist project and his attempt to decipher the unconscious structures underlying cultural practices. Through the exploration of his legacy, the paper proposes a return to a holistic theoretical approach that transcends the limitations of postmodernity, inspired by Eduardo Viveiros de Castro’s reflections on the nature-culture duality. The research is supported by a comprehensive analysis of fundamental structuralist texts, comparing and contrasting Lévi-Strauss’s ideas with those of other relevant thinkers such as Durkheim, Mauss, and Viveiros de Castro. This approach allows for a deep understanding of the elementary structures of human thought and their manifestation in different cultural contexts. The document reveals the relevance of structuralist theories for understanding the complexity of contemporary cultural practices. Additionally, the analysis highlights the importance of considering indigenous peoples’ perspectives to question traditional ontological divisions and promote a more integrative understanding of culture and nature. Finally, it underscores the need to revisit and revitalize holistic theoretical frameworks in anthropology to address the challenges of contemporaneity. Lévi-Strauss’s work, along with the theoretical innovations of Viveiros de Castro, offers valuable tools for critically rethinking our conceptions of culture, technology, and the environment, proposing a more inclusive anthropology and reflective of its role in today’s world.