Interviews with anthropologists
When interviewing anthropologists, one is immediately struck by the breadth and depth of their work. These dedicated professionals delve into the myriad facets of human culture, behavior, and societal structures, piecing together the intricate tapestry of humanity's past and present. From immersive fieldwork in remote communities to meticulous analysis of ancient artefacts, anthropologists employ a rich array of methodologies to unravel the mysteries of human existence. Their studies reveal invaluable insights into the diverse customs, belief systems, and social dynamics that define us as a species. By understanding the nuances of human diversity and the common threads that bind us, we can glean profound lessons about our shared history and chart a more enlightened course for the future. The work of anthropologists offers a unique window into the multifaceted nature of human civilisation and provides invaluable wisdom for fostering cross-cultural understanding and harmony in our global society.
Alan Macfarlane sits down with anthropologists them about their lives and their work. Below are just a few people Alan interviewed over the years. A collection of interviews with hundreds of anthropologists is going to be published by Cam Rivers Publishing in 2024.
Clifford Geertz
Clifford James Geertz was an American anthropologist who is remembered mostly for his strong support for and influence on the practice of symbolic anthropology and who was considered "for three decades... the single most influential cultural anthropologist in the United States." He served until his death as professor emeritus at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton.
Harvey Whitehouse
Harvey Whitehouse is chair of social anthropology and professorial fellow of Magdalen College at the University of Oxford.
Mary Douglas
Mary Douglas was a British Anthropologist who carried out fieldwork among the Lele people in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She is particularly known for her social theories of ritual symbols and for her 1966 work Purity and Danger.
Marilyn Strathern
Dame Ann Marilyn Strathern, DBE, FBA is a British anthropologist, who has worked largely with the Mount Hagen people of Papua New Guinea and dealt with issues in the UK of reproductive technologies. She was William Wyse Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge from 1993 to 2008, and Mistress of Girton College, Cambridge from 1998 to 2009.
Christopher Ricks
Sir Christopher Bruce Ricks FBA is a British literary critic and scholar. He is the William M. and Sara B. Warren Professor of the Humanities at Boston University, co-director of the Editorial Institute at Boston University, and was Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford from 2004 to 2009.
Thomas Hylland Eriksen
Thomas Hylland Eriksen is a Norwegian social anthropologist at the University of Oslo. His textbooks on anthropology are widely read and his work touches on many issues including nationalism, ethnicity, identity politics, and globalisation.
Phillipe Descola
Philippe Descola, FBA is a French anthropologist noted for studies of the Achuar, one of several Jivaroan peoples, and for his contributions to anthropological theory.
Marshall Sahlins
Marshall David Sahlins was an American cultural anthropologist best known for his ethnographic work in the Pacific and for his contributions to anthropological theory. He was the Charles F. Grey Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago.
Maurice Bloch
Maurice Bloch is a British anthropologist with a particular focus on Madagascar. His work has dealt with relationships between cognition and culture and society, and he has applied ideas from linguistics and cognitive psychology to anthropology.
Sir Jack Goody
Jack Goody describes his education, his time as a prisoner of war in Italy, his later career as a distinguished anthropologist in Cambridge. He draws attention to the influence of thinkers such as Gordon Childe, and his interest in the wide contrasts between Africa and EurAsia.
Stanley Tambiah
Stanley Tambiah was a Sri Lankan social anthropologist known for his studies of Buddhism in Thailand as well as his theoretical contributions to the study of religion in South and Southeast Asia. He held academic positions at the University of Ceylon, Cambridge University, the University of Chicago, and Harvard.
Ernst Gellner
Ernest Gellner was a British-Czech philosopher and social anthropologist whose work ranged from critiques of linguistic philosophy to studies of ethnicity and nationalism. He was head of the Department of Anthropology at Cambridge and Fellow of King’s College.