The Interpretation of Cultures

The Interpretation of Cultures is the seminal 1973 collection of essays by anthropologist Clifford Geertz that reoriented the field of cultural anthropology and left an enduring mark on the humanities and social sciences. In this volume, Geertz argues for a symbolic and interpretive approach to culture, rejecting reductive theories that explain human behavior solely in terms of biology, economics, or social structure. For Geertz, culture is “an historically transmitted pattern of meanings embodied in symbols,” and to study it is to engage in “thick description”—an attempt to understand the layers of significance embedded in even the most ordinary human actions.

The book includes some of Geertz’s most influential essays, including “Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight,” which exemplifies his ethnographic method and demonstrates how cultural practices can be read like texts, filled with meaning beyond their apparent surface. These essays blend literary insight with philosophical rigor, and reflect Geertz’s conviction that anthropology is not just a science of behavior, but a humanistic endeavor grounded in empathy, interpretation, and deep attention to context.

Widely cited across disciplines—from sociology and political science to literature, art theory, and religious studies—The Interpretation of Cultures helped institutionalize the “interpretive turn” in the study of human societies. Geertz’s writing opened up new ways of understanding the role of narrative, performance, and symbolism in shaping how communities form and sustain themselves. His focus on meaning-making resonated with scholars disillusioned by positivist models, and contributed to broader movements in the 20th century that questioned objectivity and emphasized the situated nature of knowledge.

Clifford Geertz was a foundational figure in symbolic anthropology and received numerous honors during his career, including the National Humanities Medal and membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His work has had a profound influence not only on anthropology but also on cultural theory, history, and philosophy. The essays in The Interpretation of Cultures have been described by Edward Said as “among the most illuminating ever written about the cultural condition,” and the book remains essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the interpretive nature of human life.

For the Center for Cosmopolitan Culture, The Interpretation of Cultures embodies a core tenet of our mission: that understanding across cultural boundaries depends on attentiveness to meaning, context, and difference. Geertz’s legacy reminds us that culture is not just what people do, but how they make sense of their lives—and that interpretation is an ethical as much as an intellectual act.