Mirror for Man: The Relation of the Anthropology to Modern Life

by Clyde Kluckhohn

While the world has undoubtedly been shrinking, at the same time it has grown more complex. The likelihood of culture clashes leading to outright conflict is high, perhaps higher than ever. As Andrea L. Smith convincingly argues in her new introduction to this classic work, certain questions are as valid today as in 1949, when Mirror for Man was first published. Can anthropology break down prejudices that exist between peoples and nations? Can knowledge of past human behavior help solve the world’s modern problems? What effect will American attitudes likely have on the future of the world? In Mirror for Man , Clyde Kluckhohn scrutinizes anthropology, showing how the discipline can contribute to the reconciliation of conflicting cultures. He questions age-old race theories, shows how people came to be as they are, and examines limitations in how human beings can be molded. Taking up one of the most vital questions in the post-World War II world, whether international order can be achieved by domination, Kluckhohn demonstrates that cultural clashes drive much of the world’s conflict, and shows how we can help resolve it if only we are willing to work for joint understanding. By interpreting human behavior, Kluckhohn reveals that anthropology can make a practical contribution through its predictive power in the realm of politics, social attitudes, and group psychology. Andrea L. Smith’s new introduction provides convincing evidence for the continuing importance of one of the earliest “public intellectuals.”

Genres: Anthropology, Sociology

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1949

Reviews

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick and easy read; a high-level overview of the anatomical (first) and cultural (foremost) aspects of anthropology.

This includes anthropologists at work in and after WWII (mostly in Japan), anthrpological assessment if individualistic and busy Americans, and amusing anecdotes and trivia.

In the final passages the author praises a good novel as better than a scientific anthropological study for learning a people, which echoes what Kelset Grammer said in his autobiography "So Far..."

[Carmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ordinarily we are unaware of the special lens through which we look at life... Students who had not gone beyond the horizon of their own society could not be expected to perceive custom which was the stuff of their own thinking. The scientist of human affairs needs to know as much about the eye that sees as the object seen…."

[Scope · Rating 2 out of 5]

The abracadabra of introduction to human anthropology construction.

[Valerie Seckler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Along with "Democracy in America" and "The Birth and Death of Meaning," "Mirror For Man" is one of the most enlightening non-fiction books I've read. Of particular interest to people with a bent for anthropology and the social sciences.

[Ilib4kids]

Prize-winner book
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