Historical Development Blog

     Over her lifetime, Ruth Benedict had a vast influence over the study of cultural anthropology. Starting in 1919, she attended The New School for Social Research, where she was convinced by her colleagues to instead study at Columbia University under Franz Boas. She began to write poetry soon after, using the pen name Anne Singleton. Her poetry interestingly analyzed cultures and what impacts them. She went on to receive a Ph. D in 1923 for which her thesis studied Native American culture. A year later, she began to teach at Columbia University. Starting in 1931, she began to write books. Her publications were based on fieldwork she conducted spanning over a decade, and focused mainly on Native American beliefs, culture, and religion. During world war 2, she also advised the Office of War Information on dealing with the peoples of occupied territories, after which she published her final book. Overall, Benedict has impacted the study of cultural anthropology massively, and her work will surely remain relevant far into the future.

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