Types Distinct from Our Own: Franz Boas on Jewish Identity and Assimiliation

Abstract

Boas's published writings on assimilation were deeply influenced by his German Jewish background. In particular, his unwillingness to recognize Jewish cultural identity as a reality was central to his persistent emphasis on human plasticity and his insistence that people not be “classified” in groups. In support of this argument, 19th‐century German and German Jewish history is reviewed, focusing on the relation between Kultur ideology and anti‐Semitism. It is suggested that this approach to Boas's statements offers fresh perspective on some of the apparent confusion in his ideas about culture and assimilation.