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FRANZ BOAS 1858-1942

FRANZ BOAS 1858-1942. Boas en route to Baffin Island 1883 and Central Inuit; to study reflectivity of sea-water. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS3wqv96VcM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOvFDioPrMM Shackles of Tradition (52 min). Odyssey Series on Boas. Born: July 9, 1858

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FRANZ BOAS 1858-1942

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  1. FRANZ BOAS 1858-1942 Boas en route to Baffin Island 1883 and Central Inuit; to study reflectivity of sea-water

  2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS3wqv96VcM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOvFDioPrMM Shackles of Tradition (52 min) Odyssey Series on Boas

  3. Born: July 9, 1858 • Minden, Westphalia, Germany • Liberal Jewish parents • Meier Boas & Sophie Meyer Boas • Married to Marie Krackowizer Personal Information

  4. Anti-Semitism • “Germany” did not exist until 1871 • Before 19th century, 350 states linked by common language • Some large such as Austria & Prussia • Holy Roman Empire Social context

  5. ”Scramble for Africa” (1875-1912) • European countries Colonize African continent Social context

  6. Three Emperors' League (1873) Coordinated by German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck Germany, Austria-Hungary, & Russia Pledged to consult on matters of mutual interest Social context

  7. Geography & physics at: • Heidelberg, Bonn, and Kiel • 1881-- • Bachelors degree, University of Heidelberg • Ph.D., University of Kiel education

  8. 1883-1884 • Expedition to Baffin Land, Canada Fieldwork—Eskimo • https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=Somatology#gs_ssp=eJzj4tDP1TfIMjDIBgAKNgJD&hl=en&q=baffin+island • Anthropology • 1885--Immigrated to United States travels

  9. Journal Science • Editorial position • Fieldwork along North Pacific Coast of North America for several museums 1885-1896 occupation

  10. 1892-1893--Chicago World's Fair • Native American cultures • Life group displays • Dioramas occupation

  11. Chicago World’s Fair diorama

  12. New York (1896) • American Museum of Natural History • Assistant Curator of Ethnology & Somatology (physical anthropology) • Columbia University: • Professor of Anthropology (1899) Boas’ career

  13. Best known: Kwakiutl Indians • Northern Vancouver & mainland of British Columbia, Canada • New concept of culture & race Boas’ work

  14. Everything important to study culture • Collect data on all facets of a culture • Not just religion, kinship etc. Boas’ work

  15. Kwakiutl Indians

  16. Kwakiutl Indians Bear Totem Pole Wearing a Mask

  17. CENTRAL ESKIMO (IGULIK) STUDY Inuit perceive and name hundreds of colors and qualities of sea-water and surfaces unknown in European languages… Boas’ study: Earliest anthropological attempt to describe a non-European ‘ethno-science’ in phenomenological terms

  18. Understand phenomena by grasping how they make sense within the framework of subject’s thought-world (cultural relativity) Hamats'a coming out of secret room," and "Kwakiutl Indian ceremony for expelling cannibals."

  19. 1885: First expedition to Northwest Coast (Bella Coola) 1886: First collecting trip for American Museum of Natural History (New York City) to Nootka and Kwakiutl — massive documentation of Northwest Coast culture

  20. The Practice of Museum Exhibits Demonstrating Eskimo harpooning, American Museum, 1900 No storage rooms, natural lighting, cases, life groups the most demanding (time, materials, skill), attempted realism. Labels – “the ultimate limitation to the possibility of a museum anthropology”. Boas believed exhibited artifact secondary to written interpretation by scientist

  21. Typological vs. Life Group U.S. National Museum Typological, 1890 U.S. National Museum Life group, 1896

  22. Highest ranking Kwakiutl secret society Kwakiutl dance - a winter initiation ceremony. 4 days long and very complex Hamatsa dancers represent a cannibal spirit who lives in the sky (Bakbakwalanooksiwae) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzmNlejMKA0 2/19 Hamat’sa society initiation

  23. Boas curator at American Museum 1896-1905 Over 90% of visitors “do not want anything beyond entertainment” Visitor groups = children, school teachers, researchers Researchers justify large museums “for the advancement of science” Museums: Entertainment, Instruction, Research

  24. Differences in peoples result of: Historical Social Geographic conditions All populations have complete and equally developed culture Cultural relativism

  25. Countered early evolutionist view of stages of development Franz Boas and his students changed American anthropology Cultural relativism

  26. Each culture has a unique history Not assume universal laws for all cultures Historical particularism

  27. 1. Rejects general laws: Ranking, “progress 2. No simple or complex societies Onlydifferent societies 3. Unilineal evolution= Ethnocentric Assumptions of Historical Particularism:

  28. 4. Not Culture, but cultures 5. Culture, not race, determines behavior 6. Methodological rigor Assumptions of Historical Particularism:

  29. CONCEPT OF CULTURE • Superorganic —Product of collective or group life • Individual has an influence • Unconscious — Filter through which reality is perceived • Adaptive — Culture helps individuals adapt to environment

  30. Images of Native Americans //thesocietypages.org/socimages REPRESENTATION OF THE “PRIMITIVE” AMERICAN INDIAN

  31. ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY LINGUISTICS Four Field Approach

  32. Generation of anthropologists trained under Boas at Columbia University • Established Boasian doctrines in North American universities: • Alfred A. Kroeber • Ruth Benedict • Margaret Mead • Robert Lowie • Edward Sapir • Paul Radin • Alexander A. Goldenweiser • Clark Wissler

  33. FRANZ BOAS • Cultural Relativism • Historical Particularism • “Race, language, and culture” as independent variables • Superorganic • Cultural Determinism • Data Collection “without” theory • Emphasis on Fieldwork • 4-field approach

  34. 1937--Professor Emeritus of anthropology at Columbia University Made anthropology into a distinguished and recognized science Contributions to anthropology

  35. Author of many books, some of which are: Growth of Children (1896 – 1904) The Mind of Primitive Man, 1938 Primitive Art, 1927 Anthropology and Modern Life, 1938 Race, Language, and Culture, 1940 Dakota Grammar, 1941 Contributions to anthropology

  36. Boas, professor emeritus of anthropology at Columbia University, was entertaining Professor Paul Rivet and other colleagues at a luncheon in Faculty Club. • He collapsed into arms of another well-known anthropologist, Claude Levi-Strauss,  and died on December 21, 1942. Contributions to anthropology

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