Relying upon close readings of virtually all of his published and unpublished writings as well as extensive interviews with former colleagues and students,Robert Redfield and the Development of American Anthropology traces the development of Robert Redfield's ideas regarding social change and the role of social science in American society. Clifford Wilcox's exploration of Redfield's pioneering efforts to develop an empirically based model of the transformation of village societies into towns and cities is intended to recapture the questions that drove early development of modernization theory. Reconsideration of these debates will enrich contemporary thinking regarding the history of American anthropology and international development.

"Robert Redfield and the Development of American Anthropology is a carefully researched, authoritatively narrated study of the intellectual life and impact of one of U.S. anthropology's most important figures during the first half of the 20th century. It is an excellent contribution to the history of anthropology." - American Anthropologist

"Wilcox's meticulous scholarship is an important contribution to anthropological theory. . . . all those who read Wilcox's book will learn a great deal about a major figure in the history of American anthropology." - Journal Of The Royal Anthropological Institute