Early Life and Education:
Mead was born in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania.She was the first of five children in her family.Her father,Edward Sherwood Mead was a finance professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and her mother Emily Mead was a sociologist who studied Italian immigrants.Tragically,Mead lost her sister Katharine at a young age that deeply affected her.Her family's frequent relocations led to a varied religious upbringing,but she eventually found a connection to the United States Episcopal Church.
Mead admitted to DePauw university in 1919 and later to Barnard College,a part of Columbia University,where she acquired her bachelor degree in 1923.Then she went at Columbia University,where she studied under eminent anthropologists Franz Boas and Ruth Benedict.Mead got her Ph.D.from Columbia in 1929.
Personal Life:
Before embarking on her famous fieldwork in Samoa,Mead had a brief relationship with linguist Edward Sapir.However,their differing views on marriage and gender roles led to their separation,and Mead received news of Sapir's remarriage while she was in Samoa conducting research.Mead would go on to marry three times.Her first husband,Luther Cressman,was an American theology student who later became an anthropologist.Following her time in Samoa,she met Reo Fortune,a New Zealander,and they married in 1928 after her divorce from Cressman.Her third and most enduring marriage was to British anthropologist Gregory Bateson,with whom she had a daughter,Mary Catherine Bateson.Despite their eventual separation,Mead considered Bateson the husband she loved most,and she kept his photograph by her bedside.
Mead's relationship with pediatrician Benjamin Spock influenced his writings on child-rearing,incorporating her ethnological observations,particularly her advocacy for on-demand breastfeeding.
Mead had an exceptionally close relationship with her instructor Ruth Benedict.While Mead never explicitly identified as lesbian or bisexual,her writings suggest that she believed an individual's sexual orientation could evolve over time.
In her later years,Mead shared a close personal and professional collaboration with anthropologist Rhoda Metraux.Their romantic relationship is evident in their letters published with permission from Mead's daughter.
Career and Contributions:
Mead's career was set apart by significant accomplishments.During World War II,she filled in as the executive secretary of the National Research Council's Committee on Food Habits.From 1946 to 1969 he served at the American Museum of NaturalHistory as a curator.
Mead's academic journey included teaching roles at The New School,Columbia University,and Fordham University's Lincoln Center campus.She even joined the faculty of the University of Rhode Island as a Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Anthropology in 1970.
Her research focused on issues related to child-rearing,personality,and culture,making her a key figure in the Society for Applied Anthropology and the American Anthropological Association.In the mid-1960s,she co-founded Glyphs Inc.with communications theorist Rudolf Modley,aiming to create a universal graphic symbol language for cross-cultural communication.Mead's influence extended to the New York Academy of Sciences,where she served as Vice President.
Throughout her career,Mead was known for her distinctive attire,which included a cape and a walking stick.She was also instrumental in the development of second-order cybernetics,as evidenced by her participation in the Macy conferences on cybernetics.
Mead's legacy extended to her work as a mentor to many young anthropologists and sociologists,and she played a part in the drafting of the 1979 American Episcopal Book of Common Prayer.
Awards and Honors:
Margaret Mead's contributions to the field of anthropology and her impact on society earned her several prestigious awards and recognitions.In 1976,she was a key participant at UN Habitat I,the first UN forum on human settlements.She was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1976.President Jimmy Carter posthumously awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1979,emphasizing her role in bringing cultural anthropology to the public's attention.
In her honor,the Margaret Mead Award is mutually granted by the Society for Applied Anthropology and the American Anthropological Association for huge works in conveying Anthropology to the general public.The U.S.Postal Service even gave a stamp bearing her picture in 1998 as a component of the Praise the Century stamp series.
Later Life and Passing:
Margaret Mead's life was marked by curiosity, dedication to her field,and a desire to understand the intricacies of human culture.She passed away on November 15,1978,after battling pancreatic cancer.She found her final resting place at Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery in Buckingham,Pennsylvania.
Notable Works:
Mead's work is a cornerstone of cultural anthropology.Some of her most notable publications include:
- "Coming of Age in Samoa" (1928)
- New Lives for Old:Cultural Transformation in Manus, 1928–1953 (1956)
- "Male and Female" (1949)
- "Culture and Commitment" (1970) and
Legacy and Impact
Margaret Mead's work keeps on rousing anthropologists,sociologists,and researchers all over the planet.Her weighty exploration on social diversity,gender roles,and cultural standards opened new roads of understanding and made ready for multifaceted exchange.
Margaret Mead's life and contributions:
serve as a testament to the power of anthropology in shedding light on the complexities of human societies,challenging norms,and fostering greater cultural understanding.Her legacy endures through her works,awards,and the institutions that bear her name,including schools and awards in the United States.Her impact on the world of anthropology and her influence on societal perspectives will forever be remembered.
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