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Simultaneously in Britain, and A.R. Radcliffe-Brown developed Functionalism . They moved away from history altogether, focusing instead on how cultural institutions (like religion or kinship) function to meet biological needs or maintain social stability in the present moment. 3. Structuralism and the Symbolic Turn
The Evolution of Anthropological Thought: History and Theory History and Theory in Anthropology
The history of anthropology is not just a timeline of discoveries, but a shifting landscape of how we define "humanity" and "culture." Since its formal inception in the 19th century, the discipline has oscillated between trying to find universal laws of human behavior and documenting the unique, irreducible nuances of specific societies. 1. The Victorian Foundation: Unilineal Evolutionism Simultaneously in Britain, and A
In the late 20th century, anthropology underwent a period of intense self-critique. Influenced by post-colonial theory and feminists like (and later thinkers like James Clifford and George Marcus ), anthropologists began to question the power dynamics of fieldwork. They realized that the "objective" observer is never truly neutral. This led to Reflexivity , where anthropologists include their own biases and roles within their ethnographies. Conclusion The Victorian Foundation: Unilineal Evolutionism In the late
The history of anthropology is a move from the "armchair" theorizing of the 19th century to the deeply reflexive, politically engaged discipline of today. It has evolved from a tool of colonial classification into a vital framework for understanding global diversity, proving that while human nature may be universal, its expressions are infinite.
By the early 20th century, a massive shift occurred, led by , the "Father of American Anthropology." Boas rejected universal laws in favor of Historical Particularism , arguing that every culture is a product of its own unique history. He introduced the concept of cultural relativism—the idea that a culture should be understood on its own terms rather than judged against a European standard.