Great Britain and Eire: An Anthropological Review for 1952-1954

Abstract

A NTHROPOLOGY in the British Isles XjL now comprises so many special disci? plines that most universities and colleges have either abandoned or decided against any attempt to control the subject through one department. University College, Lon? don, with a single Professor of Anthropol? ogy, (Dr. Daryll Forde) is an exception, as also is the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth, where Professor Bowen, carry? ing on the tradition of broad scholarship established by Professor H. J. Fleure, presides over the teaching of both geography and anthropology in all their aspects. Yet, although in recent years research has be? come progressively more specialized, there is general agreement that it would be disastrous if all links were to be broken be? tween the several branches of anthropology. Fortunately, there are in the British Isles powerful influences which help to keep the subject intact. First and most important is that of the Royal Anthropological Institute, which, through its Journal and still more through its monthly Man, succeeds in keeping a healthy balance among all branches of the subject. Man, it is true, lately has received complaints of a disproportionate interest in Africa, but it has never been accused of favoritism toward physical, social, or any other special type of anthropology. Section H of the British Association for the Ad-