1988/09/01 by Richard Feinberg · 3 citations
Health Professions · Social Sciences · #Indigenous Studies and Ecology #Anthropology: Ethics, History, Culture
paper · doi:10.1525/aa.1988.90.3.02a00080
openalex publication_date 1988/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Derek Freeman's 1983 critique of Margaret Mead's Coming of Age in Samoa has prompted one of the most heated debates in recent anthropological memory. Yet even Mead's defenders have generally accepted the view that she saw Samoa as a romantic paradise. Here I argue that a careful reading of Coming of Age shows quite a different picture. In my reanalysis, Mead's work emerges as complex and somewhat enigmatic, with facile conclusions standing in contrast to much rich and sensitive ethnography. My goal in this article is to highlight what Mead actually said, pointing up the notable discrepancy between the popular perception and her actual account.