Gordon D. Gibson

A Research Film Program in the Study of Changing Man [and Comments and Replies]

In dealing with human culture, researchers must often work with phenomena to which they cannot return because the passage of time irrevocably changes their makeup and because ethical and human considerations make it impossible to manipulate their subject in the laboratory under experimental conditions. Many believe that the loss of such information about the development and responses of man in many now disappearing diverse environmental and cultural milieus could be of critical importance to our knowledge about, and even to the survival of, our species. The problems posed by these limitations on the study of man can be mitigated by a research cinema film concept and method wich allows repeated review of selected aspects of human behavior and culture for careful scientific study. The research cinema film is a potent tool for immediate, intensive work on the documentation and study of changing man, including those cultural groups hitherto so isolated that they have retained diverse patterns as yet uninfluenced significantly by the major technological, ideological, and religious currents affecting most of the world. Film records will not only preserve much information for study which would otherwise be lost, but will also provide a window on the original phenomena through which other anthropologists and scientists can have a look for themselves, if they want to question inferences drawn by earlier workers. Research films are neither a summation of information, a demonstration of a conclusion, nor the imposition of an already structured idea or system of knowledge, but rather a source of material for viewers with research interests in events of the past. In contrast to the production of usual motion pictures, the work of preparing research films is principally that of extensive identification of subject-matter in its original time sequence and correlation of the filmed data with other associated material. All episodes are identified in time, place, and subject, and the filmers objectives and predilections are indicated. Such research films can be returned to again and again as the source of data for diverse further research stimulated by advances in the methods and findings of the human sciences.

A Bibliography of Anthropological Bibliographies: Africa

The average anthropologist spends 12 hours a week in getting information from the literature, according to a recent study made of the research habits of a random sample of Associates in CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY (Amsden 1968). An uncomfortably large proportion of this time may be spent in just seeking references to the published sources. Because of the great breadth in time, space, and subject matter of anthropological interests, writings of significance to the anthropological profession are scattered in a large number and wide variety of books and periodicals. The danger of failing to learn about really important studies bearing upon a particular subject becomes ever greater as the literature expands, and also the liability of spending a significant part of ones research time in compiling a bibliography, only to discover later that it could have been extracted much more easily from lists already in existence. The information problem seems to be greater for Africa than for some other parts of the world. Though interest in African studies has developed markedly in the past few years, there is a surprisingly large literature, both old and recent, in existence, much of which has been cited in published bibliographies. Besterman (1965-66), whose work is restricted to separately published bibliographies, has about 550 entries under Africa as a subtopic and under African countries as major topics, though many are listed more than once. The number of bibliographies of all African topics published as articles and as appendixes to monographs is more difficult o estimate, as there is no convenient, cumulative list of such items. The present compilation is intended to provide an up-to-date guide to the many regional and topical bibliographies useful in African anthropological research, as well as to some more general lists which devote significant sections to African anthropological topics. As such, it complements the similar compilation of anthropological bibliographies of the Americas, published in 1960 (CA 1: 61-75). Although work on the Africa section was begun in 1958, completion has been delayed by a number of circumstances, not the least of which was the larger number of items to be examined and the greater difficulty of procuring many of them for examination. Similar lists for other parts of the world and for anthropological topics on a world-wide scale were originally planned, and a start on the compilations has been made. However, the enormousness of the task makes the completion of further sections dependent upon securing increased assistance and support. All references included in the list (except as noted) were examined at first hand. Much gratitude is due my assistants, who aided in listing and annotating the entries, particularly Mary Jane Jones and Linda C. Benabdi. Thanks are due also the staff of the Smithsonian Institution Library for advice and for their efforts through which many of the more obscure items were located and borrowed for examination. Helen S. Conover and Mary Jane Gibson of the Library of Congress reviewed the manuscript and offered many helpful suggestions. Besides participating in the work at all stages and providing general supervision, I acted as final judge on the inclusion of items and take full responsibility for the omissions. I hope my colleagues will advise me of important bibliographies which should have been included and are not excluded under the rules adopted (see below).