Insects And Human Life

What is the cultural importance of insects? Why do we spend a good deal of time and money in the West trying to exterminate insects? How are human-insect relations far more subtle in other societies? From bathtub-invaders to protein-source, insects play a multi-faceted role that has not previously been recognized. To investigate this fully, Brian Morris spent years in Malawi. Here, as in many tropical regions, insects have a profound impact on agriculture, the household, disease, and hence on oral literature, music, art, folklore, recreation, and religion. Much of the complexity of human-insect relations rests on paradox: insects may represent the source of contagion, but are also integral to many folk remedies. Weaving science with personal observations, Morris demonstrates an intimate knowledge of virtually every aspect of human-insect relations. It is the first study of this uncharted territory--the insect world that surrounds us and how we relate to it.

Brian Morris is Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, Goldsmiths College, University of London.