The World Ahead: An Anthropologist Anticipates the Future"Occasionally, a book comes along that towers above others. The World Ahead is such a book. . .. Textor shows how Mead was a generation ahead of almost all her contemporaries in understanding the importance of studying the sociocultural future of learning what is possible, probable, and preferable in order to know how life could and should be made better. . .." - Wendell Bell, Yale University "As protégé and friend of Margaret Mead for the last thirty years of her illustrious life, I welcome Textor's showcase of her various views of the future. Mead was at her best in planning for future generations." - Wilton S. Dillon, Senior Scholar Emeritus, Smithsonian Institute "[Mead] sought to clarify images of the future as they were current and to articulate images that would be preferable. . .. Textor's commentaries connect these papers and articles in a way that establishes 'the future' as a proper central focus in anthropology. . .." - Reed D. Riner, Northern Arizona University "A valuable contribution that shows Mead's broad range of future-oriented interests." - Future Survey Born in the first year of the 20th century, it is fitting that Margaret Mead should have been one of the first anthropologists to use anthropological analysis to study the future course of human civilization. This volume collects, for the first time, her writings on the future of humanity and how humans can shape that future through purposeful action. For Mead, the study of the future was born out of her lifelong interest in processes of change. Many of these papers were originally published as conference proceedings or in limited-circulation journals, testimony before government bodies and chapters in works edited by others. They show Mead's wisdom, prescience and concern for the future of humanity. |
Contents
The Family in the Future | 35 |
Human Differences and World Order | 55 |
Unique Possibilities of the Melting Pot | 65 |
The Psychology of Warless Man | 75 |
Beyond the Nuclear Family | 85 |
Patterns of Worldwide Cultural Change | 91 |
One WorldBut Which Language? | 111 |
The University and Institutional Change | 119 |
Man On the Moon | 247 |
Education for Humanity | 253 |
Kalinga Prize Acceptance Speech | 263 |
A Note on Contributions of Anthropology | 271 |
The Kind of City We Want | 277 |
Prospects for World Harmony | 285 |
Opening Address to The Society | 291 |
Changing Perspectives on Modernization | 299 |
Changing Cultural Patterns of Work | 131 |
New YearsA Universal Birthday | 163 |
Alternatives to War | 169 |
The Crucial Role of the Small City | 185 |
Statement on Aging And Retirement | 209 |
Some Social Consequences of | 227 |
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Common terms and phrases
adults American anthropologists anticipation Anticipatory Anthropology become behavior believe build Center City centrisms character structure child continuing contribution culture discussion economic Editor's Commentary experience forms Futures Studies futurists Geoffrey Gorer give going grandparents Gregory Bateson guaranteed annual income human idea important individual industrial institutions invention kind language leisure live look Manus Margaret Mead marriage Mary Catherine Bateson Mead's means ment Métraux modern mother older organization parents participation past Peace Corps personality planet planning political population possible present problems question realize relationship responsibility role Ruth Benedict scientists sense shared small cities social society Soviet Union teachers things tion tradition United University urban warfare whole women World War II worldwide York young