Introduction

Ernesto De Martino Special Section - Presence and Crisis

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34024/csr.2026.62.2.22555

Keywords:

Ernesto de Martino, Crisis of presence, Mythic-ritual symbolism

Abstract

Although he produced his work in the first half of the 20th century, Ernesto De Martino emerges as an extremely modern intellectual, anticipating contemporary discussions in the social sciences. His critique of Western science's ethnocentrism and his analysis of the fragility of "being-in-the-world" offer valuable perspectives for addressing urgent 21st-century issues. This article provides a very brief introduction to some fundamental concepts formulated by De Martino—concepts that serve as the basis for the reflections offered by the contributors to this special section dedicated to the Italian author.

Author Biography

  • Cristina Pompa, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - Unifesp
    Graduated in History of Religions. Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp).

References

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De Martino, E. (1953). Note di viaggio, Nuovi Argomenti 1-2, 47-79.

De Martino, E. (2005a). The land of remorse: a study of Southern Italian tarantism. Translated and annotated by Dorothy Louise Zinn. London: Free Association Books.

De Martino, E. (2005b). Scritti filosofici. (R. Pastina org). Bologna: Il Mulino.

De Martino, E. (2015a). Magic: A Theory from the South. Translated and annotated by Dorothy Louise Zinn. The University of Chicago Press. [1959]

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De Martino, E. (2024a). Apocalipses Culturais e Apocalipses Psicopatológicos. Campos, 24(1-2), 198–222. https://doi.org/10.5380/cra.v24i1.86785.

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Pompa, C. (2023). O fim do mundo segundo Ernesto De Martino. Campos, 24 (1/2), 22-42. https://doi.org/10.5380/cra.v24i1.86721.

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Published

2026-08-31

Issue

Vol. 62 No. 2 (2026): May/August

Section

Special Section Ernesto De Martino - Presence and Crisis

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Cristina Pompa (Autor)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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How to Cite

Introduction: Ernesto De Martino Special Section - Presence and Crisis. (2026). Ciências Sociais Em Revista, 62(2). https://doi.org/10.34024/csr.2026.62.2.22555