The Unseen City: Anthropological Perspectives on Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, by Michael Goddard (Book Review)

Abstract

Review of the book "The Unseen City: Anthropological Perspectives on Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea", by Michael Goddard. “The Unseen City” that is the focus of this collection of essays is the part of Port Moresby that remains out of sight for most non-Melanesians. It is the everyday social environment of migrant settlers and urban villagers who daily negotiate the legacies of tradition and the colonial past and the contemporary challenges of living in a modern city. Contrary to stereotypical portrayals of Port Moresby as the site of crime and corruption, the essays in this volume present a picture of creative, dynamic “grassroots” responses to the demands of everyday life.