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Prophets and Ghosts: The Story of Salvage Anthropology

Caleb Long

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The book tells the stories of the anthropologists and indigenous leaders who shaped the field, and examines the ethical and political issues that it raised.

In the early 20th century, as European powers colonized and modernized the world, anthropologists raced to document the cultures of indigenous peoples before they disappeared. This field of study, known as salvage anthropology, was controversial from the start. Critics argued that it was a form of cultural imperialism, that it exploited indigenous peoples, and that it distorted their cultures by presenting them as static and unchanging.

Prophets and Ghosts: The Story of Salvage Anthropology

by Samuel J. Redman

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	36727 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	317 pages

Despite these criticisms, salvage anthropology played an important role in preserving the cultural heritage of indigenous peoples. It documented languages, customs, and beliefs that would otherwise have been lost. It also helped to raise awareness of the plight of indigenous peoples and to advocate for their rights.

In Prophets and Ghosts, Robert Gordon explores the history of salvage anthropology, from its origins in the early 20th century to its decline in the late 1960s. He tells the stories of the anthropologists and indigenous leaders who shaped the field, and examines the ethical and political issues that it raised.

Prophets and Ghosts is a groundbreaking work that sheds new light on a controversial and important chapter in the history of anthropology. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of indigenous peoples, the history of anthropology, or the ethics of cultural research.

Reviews

"A brilliant and deeply moving account of the history of salvage anthropology. Gordon has written a book that is both scholarly and deeply personal, and that will change the way we think about the relationship between anthropology and indigenous peoples." - Vine Deloria, Jr., author of Custer Died for Your Sins

"A powerful and important book that sheds new light on the history of anthropology and the relationship between anthropologists and indigenous peoples. Gordon's writing is clear, concise, and engaging, and he does an excellent job of weaving together the personal and the political." - Nancy Shoemaker, author of Native American Religions: An

"A must-read for anyone interested in the history of anthropology, the history of indigenous peoples, or the ethics of cultural research." - Choice

About the Author

Robert Gordon is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Vermont. He is the author of several books, including The Bushman Myth: The Making of a Namibian Underclass and Ghostly Matters: Haunting and the Colonial Encounter in South Africa.