• American cultural anthropologist (1901–1978)
• Trained under Franz Boas and Ruth Benedict (foundationalanthropologists)
• Specialized in comparative ethnographic research in theSouth Pacific (especially Samoa
and Papua New Guinea)
• Known for accessible, popular writings thatbrought anthropological insight into public
discourse
Key Works:
• Coming of Age in Samoa (1928)
• Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies (1935)
1. Cultural Relativism: Mead questioned the idea of a universal "human nature" by showing that norms of
behavior, gender roles, and family life differdramatically across cultures.
2. Youth and Development: Her research on adolescents in Samoa challenged the Western assumption that
teenagerebellion was biologically determined, showing it tobe culturally specific.
3. Gender as Performance: Mead's work laid thegroundwork for thinking about gender as a socialconstruct,
which later influenced thinkers like JudithButler.
Simon During places Mead alongside other early thinkers whohelped build the interdisciplinary field of
Cultural Studies, by showing how culture is not just "high art" but a system of meanings, behaviors, and
practices.
She defined Cultural Relativism that no culture is superior to another; all must be
understoodon their own terms.
Studied ordinary life (family, adolescence, gender roles) as legitimate academictopics
Challenged ethnocentric beliefs about gender, adolescence, and socialdevelopment
Anticipated many arguments about the constructed nature of gender and sexuality
Wrote for both academic and popular audiences, helping spread cultural
analysisbeyond the university
Mead opened the door for cultural critics to analyze livedexperience, identity,
and power.
• Her work is interdisciplinary, blending psychology, anthropology, and early feminist
thought.
Her Finding: Samoan teenagers experienced less anxiety and conflict thantheir
American peers, suggesting that adolescent experienceis shaped by
culture, not biology
here was more openness about sexuality, and genderroles were more
flexible.
Significance: This idea directly challenges Western assumptions
abouthuman nature, development, and emotion.
Society Implementation
Both men and women were gentle and
Arapesh nurturing
Mundugumor Both were aggressive and competitive
Tchambuli Women were dominant, men were more
emotional and concerned with appearance
Conclusion:
Gender roles are not "natural" — they are sociallyconstructed and vary culture to culture.
Mead in The Cultural Studies Reader (Simon During)
Why is Mead included in this textbook?
• Simon During’s reader traces the foundations of CulturalStudies, and Mead’s cultural
relativism andethnographic focus on identity and norms laid criticalgroundwork.
🔹 Mead’s inclusion emphasizes:
• Understanding culture through lived experience
• Breaking down Eurocentric assumptions
• Viewing identity as fluid and culturally shaped
✅ She helped shift focus from studying "elite" culture(literature, fine arts) to everyday life,
including:
• Family roles
• Childhood
• Sexuality
• Social rituals
Stuart Hall
Mead’s method of decoding cultural norms connects to Hall’s idea of cultural meaningas
constructed and contested
RaymondWilliams
Mead's study of everyday life and emotional patterns mirrors Williams' idea of culture as a
whole way of life
Judith Butler
Mead’s gender work anticipated gender as performance, central to queer theory
Michel Foucault
Mead's study of how knowledge is shaped by context relates to Foucault’s views
1.Gender Norms in Advertising
• Mead's work would explain that what’s seen as "feminine" or "masculine" in
marketing is culturally constructed.
2. Teen Behavior in Different Cultures
• Why do American teens rebel, but many Easterncultures don’t? Mead would
say: it's socialexpectations, not hormones.
3. Global Views on LGBTQ+ Rights
• Her ideas help unpack how different culturesconstruct identity and
normativity, instead of assuming Western values are universal.
