description Margaret Mead Overview
Margaret Mead was an American cultural anthropologist whose 1928 book "Coming of Age in Samoa" examined adolescent sexual behavior and challenged assumptions about fixed gender roles. She conducted fieldwork primarily in Oceania and later wrote extensively on American culture. She was associated with the American Museum of Natural History.
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Margaret Mead ranks #1 of 304 in the Anthropologist ranking, ahead of Bronisław Malinowski.
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What did Margaret Mead argue in 'Coming of Age in Samoa'?
In her 1928 book, Mead argued that adolescence in Samoan society was comparatively stress-free compared to the turmoil experienced by American teenagers, suggesting that cultural factors rather than biology shaped adolescent development. The findings challenged Western assumptions about fixed gender roles and the inevitability of adolescent rebellion.
Where did Margaret Mead conduct her anthropological fieldwork?
Mead conducted her primary fieldwork in Oceania, including American Samoa, Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, and Bali. Her Samoan fieldwork, which formed the basis of her 1928 book, was carried out in the mid-1920s.
Was Margaret Mead's Samoa research ever challenged?
Yes, in 1983, anthropologist Derek Freeman published a book contesting Mead's findings, arguing that she had been misled by her informants and that Samoan adolescence was not as peaceful as she described. The resulting debate became one of the most prominent controversies in the history of anthropology.
Where did Margaret Mead work during her professional career?
Mead served as a curator at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City for much of her career. She was also closely associated with Columbia University, where she had studied under Franz Boas.
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