Delimiting Anthropology: Historical Reflections on the Boundaries of a Boundless Discipline
Author(s)
Stocking, George W. Jr.
Abstract
Anthropology provides an historical example of the difficulties of defining the boundaries of social science research. Around 1904, Franz Boas established its main divisions, and it underwent classical growth from about 1920 to 1960. Anthropology is a more flexible process in modern times, as there is a conflict of science versus humanities or postmodernism. New approaches do not fit traditional academic categories, but there is strong institutional inertia to emphasize the science aspect of social science research.
