Clifford James Geertz (1926–2006) was an American anthropologist known for his contributions to symbolic and interpretive anthropology. His work reshaped cultural studies, emphasizing symbols, meaning, and thick description.
Born in San Francisco, Geertz served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before earning a B.A. in philosophy from Antioch College (1950) and a PhD in anthropology from Harvard University (1956.) His early fieldwork in Indonesia and Morocco laid the foundation for his theories on religion, politics, and social structures. A professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, he earned numerous honors, including membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Geertz’s most influential book, The Interpretation of Cultures (1973,) introduced “thick description,” analyzing cultural practices in broader social contexts. Other notable works include Islam Observed: Religious Development in Morocco and Indonesia (1968,) Local Knowledge: Further Essays in Interpretive Anthropology (1983,) and Works and Lives: The Anthropologist as Author (1988.) His final book, Available Light: Anthropological Reflections on Philosophical Topics (2000,) explored anthropology’s intersection with philosophy.
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Gender consciousness has become involved in almost every intellectual field: history, literature, science, anthropology. There’s been an extraordinary advance.
—Clifford Geertz
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