Women in Anthropology: Autobiographical Narratives and Social History

Women in academia have struggled for centuries to establish levels of acceptance and credibility equal to men in the same fields, and anthropology has been no different. The women anthropologists in this book speak frankly about their challenges and successes as they navigated through their personal and professional lives. Riding the changing tides of social and disciplinary history, they struggled through various and sometimes conflicting arenas of life-marriage, raising children, caring for families, publishing, conducting research, going into the field, teaching, and mentoring. They did this during volatile periods in the twentieth century when the roles and expectations for women were being constantly reestablished and repositioned. Despite significant odds, they discuss the abiding interests that compelled them to pursue a career in anthropology, and the impact that the study of culture has had on their self-understanding. For anyone interested in the cultural and demographic shifts that are fundamentally altering opportunities for women in the workplace, Women in Anthropology is a thought-provoking and inspirational read. For anthropologists, it is an important and intimate portrait of the realities of professional life.