(Christina Gabbert, Sophia Thubauville (eds.), Köppe Verlag, ~400 pages)

Cultural contacts are experienced through cultural and local closeness. This chronological and geographic dimension is the topic of the contributions of the volume “To live with others".

p> (Christina Gabbert, Sophia Thubauville (eds.), Köppe Verlag, ~400 pages)

Cultural contacts are experienced through cultural and local closeness. This chronological and geographic dimension is the topic of the contributions of the volume “To live with others".

The role of the neighbor is shown in its full ambivalence in case studies from Southern Ethiopia. Neighborhood is characterized both by peace and violence; the neighbor can as well be a friend and assistant, as also an envious person and enemy.

The close relations that originate from neighborhood can be cultivated by means of meeting or by avoidance. Peace and conflict both are seen as forms of intensified cultural contact. In any case cultural neighbors are interested in creating clear behavioral codes, so the lines between friends and enemies become clear and as such can serve as a basis for neighborly communication. A special form of contact is the establishment of alliances. Alliances, as strategic elements, are applied to increase the web of affiliations, the basis for action. They touch as diverging cultural traits as kinship, economy, religion and politics. In Southern Ethiopia neighborhood finds expression in institutions like exchange marriages, bond friendship, inter cultural adoption and the meritorious complex.

The creative and divergent ways of dealing with cultural neighbors are described in the forthcoming publication.