Marvin Harris
Marvin Harris (August 18 1927 - October 25 2001) was an American anthropologist and highly influential in the development of cultural materialism. In his work, he drew largely on the theories of Thomas Malthus and Karl Marx, combining Malthus' focus on the influence of population growth on the formation of social institutions, and Marx's focus on the means of production regarding the same. Over the course of his life, Harris drew both a loyal following and a considerable amount of criticism.
Personal Information
In her Harris obituary, written with Contrad Kottak and published in American Anthropologist, Maxine Margolis wrote:
- "Harris was a major force in training students in the science of anthropology. At Columbia and later at Florida, his popular theory courses were filled with hard-driving debates and students who found his critical style invigorating. His concern with the direction the Columbia department was taking during the late 1970s led him to leave that university and his Leonia, New Jersey, home to move to Gainesville. Having earned an early reputation for combativeness in defense of his theoretical principles, Harris mellowed in Florida. There he spent several more productive years teaching, training students, writing books, and practicing his skills in architectural planning and carpentry. For many years Marvin and his wife Madeline summered on the Maine coast on Great Cranberry Island. Guests at their home were treated to memorable dinners, day-long fishing trips, and sunset cocktail cruises aboard the Maddy Sue, Marvin's 36-foot "lobster yacht" built in 1932."
Books
- The Rise of Anthropological Theory
- Cows, Pigs, Wars and Witches (1974)
- Good to Eat
- Cannibals and Kings
- Our Kind, a summary of his popular science production.
- America Now
- Theories of Culture in Postmodern Times
- Why Nothing Works
External links
- Marvin Harris Biography.
- Marvin Harris Essay.
- Cultural MaterialismCultural Materialism