Adam Kuper
Encyclopedia
Adam Kuper is an anthropologist most closely linked to the school of social anthropology
. In his works, he often treats the notion of "culture
" skeptically, focusing as much on how it is used as on what it means.
Born and raised in South Africa, he attended Parktown Boys' High School
. He took his first degree at the University of the Witwatersrand
in Johannesburg
. His doctorate, from the University of Cambridge
, was based on field research in the Kalahari desert
in what is now Botswana
. After graduation he returned to Africa
, doing further fieldwork in Botswana and Uganda
and teaching for three years at Makerere University
in Kampala
. From 1970 to 1976 he taught at University College London
. From 1976 to 1985 he was professor of African anthropology at Leiden University
in the Netherlands
. From 1985 to 2008 he was a professor at Brunel University
, where he was the first head of the Department of Human Sciences, and latterly head of the Anthropology Department.
In January 2009 it was revealed that Brunel had reneged on an agreement to let him stay until 2010. Instead, he was forcibly retired in late 2008, just after the census date for publications submitted to the Research Assessment Exercise
had passed. Kuper reportedly responded by suing the university for breach of contract.
In the early 1970s Kuper did fieldwork in Jamaica
, on attachment to the National Planning Agency in the Office of the Prime Minister. However his main ethnographic focus continued to be the societies of Southern Africa, on which he has published several books. In 1973 he published a history of British social anthropology, and since then he has continued to study and publish on the intellectual history of anthropology, most recently a book on the idea of culture in the anthropological tradition. He was awarded a Leverhulme Major Research Grant for two years (2003-5) which allowed him to spend more time on research. The topic is cousin marriage and incest in nineteenth century England.
He has supervised many PhD students on Southern African ethnography, history of anthropology, family business, and kinship.
The football writer Simon Kuper
is his son.
The Invention of Primitive Society: Transformations of an Illusion, (Routledge, 1988)
The Chosen Primate: Human Nature and Cultural Diversity, (Harvard University Press, 1994)
Anthropology and Anthropologists: The Modern British School, (Routledge, 3rd edn, 1996)
The Social Science Encyclopedia Adam Kuper, Jessica Kuper (eds.). (Taylor & Francis, 1996)
Culture: The Anthropologists' Account, (Harvard University Press, 1999)
Incest and Influence: The Private Life of Bourgeois England, (Harvard, 2009)
Social anthropology
Social Anthropology is one of the four or five branches of anthropology that studies how contemporary human beings behave in social groups. Practitioners of social anthropology investigate, often through long-term, intensive field studies , the social organization of a particular person: customs,...
. In his works, he often treats the notion of "culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
" skeptically, focusing as much on how it is used as on what it means.
Born and raised in South Africa, he attended Parktown Boys' High School
Parktown Boys' High School
Parktown Boys' High School is a public high school for boys in Parktown, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. Parktown Boys' is well known for its emphasis on holistic education and in 2009 was rated as one of the top performing state schools in South Africa, and in the top ten schools in...
. He took his first degree at the University of the Witwatersrand
University of the Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is a South African university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University...
in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. His doctorate, from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, was based on field research in the Kalahari desert
Kalahari Desert
The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid sandy savannah in Southern Africa extending , covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa, as semi-desert, with huge tracts of excellent grazing after good rains. The Kalahari supports more animals and plants than a true desert...
in what is now Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
. After graduation he returned to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, doing further fieldwork in Botswana and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and teaching for three years at Makerere University
Makerere University
Makerere University , Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, , was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London...
in Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
. From 1970 to 1976 he taught at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
. From 1976 to 1985 he was professor of African anthropology at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. From 1985 to 2008 he was a professor at Brunel University
Brunel University
Brunel University is a public research university located in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom. The university is named after the Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel....
, where he was the first head of the Department of Human Sciences, and latterly head of the Anthropology Department.
In January 2009 it was revealed that Brunel had reneged on an agreement to let him stay until 2010. Instead, he was forcibly retired in late 2008, just after the census date for publications submitted to the Research Assessment Exercise
Research Assessment Exercise
The Research Assessment Exercise is an exercise undertaken approximately every 5 years on behalf of the four UK higher education funding councils to evaluate the quality of research undertaken by British higher education institutions...
had passed. Kuper reportedly responded by suing the university for breach of contract.
In the early 1970s Kuper did fieldwork in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, on attachment to the National Planning Agency in the Office of the Prime Minister. However his main ethnographic focus continued to be the societies of Southern Africa, on which he has published several books. In 1973 he published a history of British social anthropology, and since then he has continued to study and publish on the intellectual history of anthropology, most recently a book on the idea of culture in the anthropological tradition. He was awarded a Leverhulme Major Research Grant for two years (2003-5) which allowed him to spend more time on research. The topic is cousin marriage and incest in nineteenth century England.
He has supervised many PhD students on Southern African ethnography, history of anthropology, family business, and kinship.
The football writer Simon Kuper
Simon Kuper
Simon Kuper is a British author. He writes about sports "from an anthropologic perspective."Kuper was born in Uganda of South African parents in 1969, and moved to Leiden in the Netherlands as a child, where his father, Adam Kuper, was a lecturer in anthropology at Leiden University. He has also...
is his son.
Selected publications
Wives for Cattle: Bridewealth and Marriage in Southern Africa, (Routledge, 1982)The Invention of Primitive Society: Transformations of an Illusion, (Routledge, 1988)
The Chosen Primate: Human Nature and Cultural Diversity, (Harvard University Press, 1994)
Anthropology and Anthropologists: The Modern British School, (Routledge, 3rd edn, 1996)
The Social Science Encyclopedia Adam Kuper, Jessica Kuper (eds.). (Taylor & Francis, 1996)
Culture: The Anthropologists' Account, (Harvard University Press, 1999)
Incest and Influence: The Private Life of Bourgeois England, (Harvard, 2009)