The Jewish Roots and Routes of Anthropology

Abstract

Does anthropology have "a Jewish problem"? Let us not be deceived by the fact that Mary Douglas's "The Abominations of Leviticus" is part of the contemporary canon of mainstream anthropology, or that Barbara Myerhoff's work has inspired and moved innovative scholars in anthropological folklore. Large numbers of American anthropologists come from Jewish families, yet very few have done any research or writing on Jews (Dominguez 1993:621-622).