Anthropology and Modern Life

Author: Franz Boas
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-01-01
Features: This book is one of the most important works by the renowned American anthropologist Franz Boas. Through this work, the author explicitly advocates for historical particularism, emphasizing the relative value of cultural qualities among different races, nations, and ethnic groups. Boas further deeply reveals the decisive role of relativistic cultural values in social life. The book presents a fundamental overview of traditional life among various human nations in clear and engaging language, against a vivid cultural and historical background. The book is divided into nine chapters, discussing misunderstood issues in anthropology, such as race, nationalism, internationalism, education, culture, and society, from an anthropological perspective. Boas's main arguments—historical particularism, cultural relativism, and cultural determinism—are clearly articulated in this book.