The Meaning of Giving – a Christmas Story in Cultural-Anthropological Interpretation

In 1952, French cultural anthropologist and founder of structural anthropology Claude Lévi-Strauss published a structuralist interpretation of the socio-cultural obligations of “giving and receiving” titled Le Père Noël supplicié (Santa Claus executed). In it, he offers an unusual interpretation of those gift flows that remain unrequited, such as the Christmas gifts of heavenly origin to children.

The essay Santa Claus executed, in which Claude Lévi-Strauss exposes the mechanisms that override the obligation to reciprocate on the basis of the structural analysis he developed, will be presented here.

Johanna Krafft-Krivanec was born in Vienna in 1938 and spent her childhood and school years partly in Austria and partly in France. From 1956 to 1960 she studied interpreting at the University of Vienna, from 1962 she taught at the Institute for Interpreter Training. From 1982, in addition to teaching and interpreting, he studied cultural anthropology at the University of Vienna, graduating with a doctorate in 2002.

An event of the Weltmuseum Wien Friends. The Weltmuseum Wien Friends association offers a variety of advanced events to all those interested in the contents of the Weltmuseum Wien, such as object discussions, special guided tours, excursions as well as film and photo lectures.

Duration: 45 min.
The lecture is free of charge (valid museum ticket required, free entrance for members of the Weltmuseum Wien Friends)
Registration: friends@weltmuseumwien.at   
Meeting point: WMW Forum