Franz Boas: An Anthropological Pioneer Often referred to as the “father of modern anthropology”, Franz Boas is best known for establishing the area of cultural anthropology. Having possessed a scientific background with a doctorate in physics, he was one of the first scientists of his day to question the beliefs behind social Darwinism and scientific racism, and try to come to an understanding regarding the differences among people and their cultures. Boas dedicated his life to the study of anthropology…
Describing humans as being part of multiple different races is widely inaccurate. The argument that human beings living on planet earth are divided into various races based on biological differences contains multiple flaws. Science has proven that humans all belong to the same race. Furthermore the belief that multiple races exist is not only wrong but can also be quite dangerous because it leads to the justified oppression of specific races believed to be inferior. Oppressed “races” are then subjected…
anthropological methods/theories crush on Franz Boas. Born into a liberal German family, Boas was allowed to explore a variety of topics in fields that caught his attention, including: the natural sciences, geography, history and culture. After earning a Ph.D. in physics and a brief stint in the military Boas began a yearlong scientific expedition to Baffin Island in northern Canada to collect ethnographic data on Inuit culture. This expedition rooted Boas into the field of anthropology and his later…