Ruth Benedict

Ruth Benedict
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Name	Ruth Benedict
Birth date	June 5, 1887
Birth place	New York City
Death date	September 17, 1948
Death place	New York City
Nationality	American
Fields	Anthropology, Folklore
Institutions	Columbia University, New School for Social Research

Ruth Benedict was a prominent American anthropologist, sociologist, and folklorist who made significant contributions to the field of anthropology, particularly in the areas of cultural anthropology and psychological anthropology. Her work was influenced by Franz Boas, a renowned anthropologist and her mentor at Columbia University. Benedict's research focused on the Native American cultures of the Southwest United States, including the Zuni people and the Pueblo people. She was also associated with the Bureau of American Ethnology and the American Anthropological Association.

● Early Life and Education

Ruth Benedict was born in New York City to a family of English American and Dutch American descent. She spent her childhood in Norwich, New York, and later moved to Buffalo, New York, where she attended Buffalo Seminary. Benedict then enrolled at Vassar College, where she studied English literature and philosophy under the guidance of Martha Hardy and Laura Wylie. After graduating from Vassar College in 1909, she traveled to Europe, visiting England, France, and Germany, before returning to the United States to pursue a career in social work at the New York School of Philanthropy. However, she soon became interested in anthropology and began studying under Franz Boas at Columbia University, where she earned her Ph.D. in anthropology in 1923.

● Career

Benedict's academic career was marked by her association with Columbia University, where she taught anthropology and conducted research on Native American cultures. She was also a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley and the New School for Social Research. Benedict's work was influenced by Margaret Mead, a fellow anthropologist and close friend, as well as Edward Sapir, a linguist and anthropologist. She was a member of the American Anthropological Association and served as the president of the American Ethnological Society. Benedict's research took her to various parts of the world, including Japan, where she studied the Japanese culture during World War II, and Brazil, where she conducted fieldwork among the Kayapó people.

● Major Works

Benedict's most notable works include The Patterns of Culture, a book that explores the cultural practices of the Zuni people, the Dobu people, and the Kwakiutl people, and The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, a study of the Japanese culture during World War II. She also wrote An Anthropologist at Work, a biography of her mentor Franz Boas, and Zuñi Mythology, a collection of Zuni mythology. Benedict's work was widely acclaimed and influenced many prominent anthropologists, including Clifford Geertz, Sherry Ortner, and Renato Rosaldo. Her books were also widely read by the general public, and she became a prominent figure in American intellectual circles, alongside Thorstein Veblen, John Dewey, and Erich Fromm.

● Personal Life

Ruth Benedict was married to Stanley Benedict, a biochemist at Cornell University Medical College, and later to Robert Lowie, but both marriages ended in divorce. She had a close relationship with Margaret Mead, with whom she shared a love of anthropology and poetry. Benedict was also friends with Eleanor Roosevelt, who shared her interest in social justice and human rights. She was a member of the American Civil Liberties Union and supported the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Benedict's personal life was marked by her struggles with depression and her experiences as a woman in a male-dominated field.

● Legacy

Ruth Benedict's legacy is profound and far-reaching, influencing generations of anthropologists, sociologists, and scholars of cultural studies. Her work on cultural relativism and psychological anthropology has had a lasting impact on the field of anthropology, and her books continue to be widely read and studied. Benedict's contributions to the field of anthropology have been recognized by the American Anthropological Association, which awards the Ruth Benedict Prize in her honor. She is also remembered for her advocacy of social justice and human rights, and her support for women's rights and minority rights. Benedict's work has been celebrated by scholars such as Clifford Geertz, Sherry Ortner, and Renato Rosaldo, and her legacy continues to inspire new generations of scholars and researchers. Category:American anthropologists