Julian Steward (1902 –1972) was an American anthropologist best known for his role in developing "the concept and method" of cultural ecology, as well as a scientific theory of culture change.
Julian Haynes Steward is regarded as a significant contributor to the field of anthropology and as a major player in the field’s progression and innovation. He is perhaps best known for his writings on his Great Basin experiences between the years of 1918 and 1943, where he published an impressive number of papers and made substantial achievements in his career (Clemmer 1999: ix). While Steward’s career was a diverse and evolving one, he was generally known and praised for his systematic analysis and empirical approach to the field of anthropology, as well as his contribution to the creation of the field of “cultural ecology”. Steward’s impressive career and extensive education, combined with a well rounded and multifaceted personality make him stand out as significant participant and catalyst in the continuing expansion and progression of the field of Anthropology.
Multilinear evolutionists
Julian Haynes Steward is regarded as a significant contributor to the field of anthropology and as a major player in the field’s progression and innovation. He is perhaps best known for his writings on his Great Basin experiences between the years of 1918 and 1943, where he published an impressive number of papers and made substantial achievements in his career (Clemmer 1999: ix). While Steward’s career was a diverse and evolving one, he was generally known and praised for his systematic analysis and empirical approach to the field of anthropology, as well as his contribution to the creation of the field of “cultural ecology”. Steward’s impressive career and extensive education, combined with a well rounded and multifaceted personality make him stand out as significant participant and catalyst in the continuing expansion and progression of the field of Anthropology.
Multilinear evolutionists
Multilinear
evolutionists argue that we cannot trace the development/evolution of
culture in a unilinear way. Culture can be developed through numerous
ways or lines. In the process of development, we can see various
cultures that are evolved in different places taking different direction
or combined again and forward in the same direction in the specific
circumstance.
The
term “multilinear evolution” was not coined by Julian Steward only it
is associated with his name because of his contribution. For Steward,
multilinear evolution means methodology based on the assumption that
significant regularities in cultural change occur. According to Steward,
we can see parallel developments among historically unrelated cultures.
As a multilinear evolutionist anthropologist, Steward focuses on the
following points.
- Multiple development sequences (lines or events)
- Empirical methods rather that deductive
- Emphasized on particular cultures
- Concreteness of specifically
- Determination of cultural law.
No comments:
Post a Comment