Mythical Trickster Figures : Contours, Contexts, and Criticisms

Most cultures and belief-systems have some kind of trickster figure. The essays in this volume examine the diverse manifestations and use of the trickster phenomenon across a wide variety of cultures. Contributors from a broad spectrum of academic disciplines explain not only the complex structures of these myths, but also advance new interpretations about their significance. The approach is primarily from within the humanities, mainly from the study of comparative religion, but because of the interdisciplinary nature of the subject, anthropological and social science perspectives are also included.