Marshall David Sahlins was an American cultural anthropologist best known for his ethnographic work in the Pacific and for his contributions to anthropological theory. He was the Charles F. Grey Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago.
Sahlins in 2003
Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans. It is in contrast to social anthropology, which perceives cultural variation as a subset of a posited anthropological constant. The term sociocultural anthropology includes both cultural and social anthropology traditions.
Edward Burnett Tylor, founder of cultural anthropology
Franz Boas (1858–1942), one of the pioneers of modern anthropology, often called the "Father of American Anthropology"
Margaret Mead (1901–1978)
Ruth Benedict in 1937