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History & Society
Franz Boas
German-American anthropologist
Category:
History & Society
- Subjects Of Study:
- American Indian
- Kwakiutl
- cultural relativism
- culture
- race
Franz Boas (born July 9, 1858, Minden, Westphalia, Prussia [Germany]—died December 22, 1942, New York, New York, U.S.) German-born American anthropologist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the founder of the relativistic, culture-centred school of American anthropology that became dominant in the 20th century. During his tenure at Columbia University in New York City (1899–1942), he developed one of the foremost departments of anthropology in the United States. Boas was a specialist in North American Indian cultures and languages, but he was, in addition, the organizer of a profession and the great teacher of a number of scientists ...(100 of 1073 words)