This book develops an exciting new view of this otherwise taken-for-granted image and considers their metaphoric value in and for moral order.

David Lipset is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Minnesota, USA.

Eric K. Silverman, former Professor of Anthropology at Wheelock College, is now Resident Scholar at the Women's Studies Research Center at Brandeis University, USA.

1 Knots as moral relationshiDavid Lipset and Eric K. Silverman:Part 1: Personhood and Society: 2 Knots in Sumo Wrestling and JapanKenji Tierney; 3 Knots and entanglements in JapanEllen Schattschneider: 4 Canoes, knots and the concept of the person in the Sepik (Papua New Guinea)Eric K. Silverman and David Lipset: 5 Making Manus social fabric (Papua New Guinea)Michelle Nayahmui Rooney: Part 2: State and Cosmos: 6 The knotted empire of the Inka StateGary Urton; 7 Weaving metaphors and cosmo-political thought in early ChinaDavid Pankenier: 8 Knots at the edge of order in the Northeast Kula Ring (Papua New Guinea)Frederick H. Damon; 9 The knot in the Pacific body politicSusanne Küchler; 10 Knots of authority and sanctity in ancient HawaiiAdrienne Kaeppler: Part 3: Social Thought; 11 Anthropology's entanglement with 'Europe'Sarah Green: 12 Afterword: Knots as Moral ReflexivityDavid Lipset and Eric K. Silverman