Beals (Beals) Ralph Leon

(1901-85) - Amer. cultural anthropology, a researcher at Lat. America. Studied in unte of California (Berkeley) in Kroeber, Lowie and E.U. Gifford, keen on ideas of cultural relativism. Defended doctoral. dis. on of ethnic. history of the Indians of New Mexico, was engaged in field studies in Mexico, then returned to Berkeley. In 1936 he worked at the University of California, those in Los Angeles. Years Used. studied Indian Lat. America, is considered a pioneer of ethnography Mexico. As a theorist B. - Follower F. Bois, studied in various aspects of the problem of acculturation. He viewed acculturation as a special case of changes, although the distinction between acculturation and diffusion can be difficult, tk. Both concepts represent a cultural change as rezultut transmission of culture from one group to others. Basic Fixes. research directions B.: A study of peasant communities in t.ch. at the local level, the system of the market among the peasants and the problem of economical. changes; he was interested in social aspects of the countries surveyed - including sharp as his work on social stratification Lat. America. Of particular scientific field B. were working on the theory of culture (cultural contact, cultural conflict and the results of the interaction of cultures - the processes and cultural change). B. believed that the problem of changes in culture, because of its periodicity. contact with carriers of other cultures are most relevant to the researcher. Most of all B. interested in the problem of cultural change on the islands who had experienced the influence of the West. In general, maintain the tradition of the monograph boasovskoy B. denied serious theor. studies and conclusions regarding the nature of acculturation. Field studies in Mexico, gave him material for a book that studies the peasant markets t.zr. problems of acculturation. B. - Co-author a popular textbook on anthropology, ran into five editions. He actively collaborated with the Amer. Association, its name is highly honored, д°yem in Lat. America.