Cora Du Bois

Cora Du Bois (1903–1991) was a prominent American anthropologist known for her contributions to the field of cultural anthropology and for her groundbreaking research on the island of Alor, Indonesia. Du Bois was one of the first female anthropologists to hold a tenured position at a major American university, and her work significantly influenced the development of modern anthropology.

Early Life and Education

Cora Du Bois was born in New York City in 1903. She developed an interest in anthropology while attending Barnard College, where she earned her bachelor's degree. Du Bois went on to pursue graduate studies at Columbia University, studying under the renowned anthropologist Franz Boas. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, where she was influenced by Alfred Kroeber, another key figure in the field of anthropology.

Career

Du Bois's most notable work was her research on the island of Alor, where she conducted extensive fieldwork from 1937 to 1939. Her study focused on the relationship between culture and personality, and she employed innovative methods, including the use of Rorschach tests, to understand the psychological aspects of the Alor people. This work culminated in her influential book, The People of Alor, which remains a classic in the field of cultural anthropology.

Throughout her career, Du Bois held several academic positions. She taught at Sarah Lawrence College before joining the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, where she applied her anthropological expertise to support the war effort. After the war, Du Bois became the first woman to hold a tenured position in the Department of Anthropology at Harvard University, where she worked until her retirement in 1969.

Contributions to Anthropology

Du Bois's contributions to anthropology extend beyond her research in Alor. She was instrumental in developing the concept of "culture at a distance," a method of studying cultures through the analysis of literature, films, and other secondary materials, which was particularly useful during wartime when fieldwork was not possible. Du Bois also played a significant role in the professionalization of anthropology and was a strong advocate for the application of anthropological knowledge to solve social problems.

Legacy

Cora Du Bois's work has left a lasting impact on the field of anthropology. Her interdisciplinary approach, combining psychological insights with cultural analysis, paved the way for future research in cultural and psychological anthropology. Du Bois was also a trailblazer for women in academia, breaking barriers in a field that was predominantly male at the time.

Du Bois received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, including election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Her legacy continues to inspire anthropologists and scholars in related fields.

Selected Works

• The People of Alor (1944)
• Culture in Crisis: A Study of the Hopi Indians (co-authored, 1959)
• Social Forces in Southeast Asia (1960)

See Also

• Cultural Anthropology
• Psychological Anthropology
• Franz Boas
• Alfred Kroeber