French Anthropology in 1800

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2685075
AutoresGeorge W Stocking (autor correspondente), George W Stocking George W Stocking
Ano1964
Volume55
Fascículo2
Páginas134-150
Data de publicação1964-06-01
Open AccessNão
TipoBOOK
PeriódicoIsis (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0021-1753 • E-ISSN: 1545-6994
EditoraUniversity of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1086/349823
OpenAlexW2045002299
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas25

This article examines the state of French anthropology around 1800, a period often overlooked as a mere transition between Buffon and Cuvier. Stocking argues against this view, demonstrating the vibrancy of anthropological thought during this era. He focuses on the Société des Observateurs de l'Homme (1799-1805), a group dedicated to anthropological research, particularly the study of "primitive" peoples. The society's work, though short-lived, reflected a complex interplay of Enlightenment ideas, colonial encounters, and emerging scientific methodologies. Stocking highlights their efforts to develop systematic observation techniques and comparative analyses of physical and cultural traits, laying the groundwork for later anthropological developments. He also explores the political and social context that shaped the society's agenda, including the French Revolution and Napoleonic expansion. The article concludes that French anthropology in 1800, while lacking a unified theory, exhibited a dynamic and innovative approach to the study of humanity

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