- Harris, Marvin
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▪ 2002American anthropologist and theoretician (b. Aug. 18, 1927, New York, N.Y.—d. Oct. 25, 2001, Gainesville, Fla.), was a prominent anthropologist known for his research on cultural materialism, which led him to pose a number of controversial theories, including that warfare was a means of reducing population numbers when protein became scarce and that cannibalism among the Aztecs arose from a need for protein sufficiency. From 1952 to 1980 Harris taught at Columbia University, New York City, where he earned a Ph.D. in 1953. From 1980 to 2000 he was a research professor at the University of Florida. Harris conducted extensive fieldwork in Brazil and Mozambique. Drawing parallels between functionalism in the social sciences with adaptation in biology, he came to see the social life of humans as shaped by practical problems of existence. He expressed his views in such works as The Rise of Anthropological Theory (1968), Cannibals and Kings: The Origins of Cultures (1977), Cultural Materialism: The Struggle for a Science of Culture (1979), and Cultural Anthropology (1983).
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▪ American anthropologistborn August 18, 1927, New York, New York, U.S.died October 25, 2001, Gainesville, FloridaAmerican anthropological historian and theoretician known for his work on cultural materialism. His fieldwork in the Islas (“Islands”) de la Bahía and other regions of Brazil and in Mozambique focused on the concept of culture.Harris saw functionalism in the social sciences as being similar to “adaptation” in biology. His work on the surplus controversy and ethno-energetic exchange in primitive cultures led him to comparisons with medieval European economies, in which he saw two distinct types, feudalism and manorialism. Many of his theories challenged mainstream thought, including his belief that cannibalism associated with Aztec religious rites was attributable to protein deprivation and that neckties are worn to identify the wearer as someone above physical labour. Among his best-known works are The Rise of Anthropological Theory (1968), Cannibals and Kings: The Origins of Cultures (1977), Cultural Materialism: The Struggle for a Science of Culture (1979), and Cultural Anthropology (1983).Harris received a Ph.D. from Columbia University (1953), where he taught anthropology from 1952. He also served as technical adviser to the Brazilian Ministry of Education. His theoretical work led to an active role in the anthropological controversies of his day.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
