Histories of Scholars, Ideas, and Disciplines of Biological Anthropology and Archaeology

Franz Boas defined anthropology over a century ago as a four-field discipline in danger of fragmentation. It has endured with stresses and strains by maintaining many integrative ties among the sub-disciplines. Vibrant links indicate that a healthy endeavor remains among anthropologists dedicated to an interdisciplinary approach. Little and Kennedy suggest that the story can be told by the histories of individuals, institutions, ideas, and traditions. However, they focus on individuals and institutions and seldom consider the histories of ideas, leading them to omit significant events. Fagan describes the origins of archaeology more thoroughly and situates individuals within the larger context.