Douglas, Mary Tew (1921–)
Douglas, Mary Tew (1921–)
British social anthropologist. Born Mary Tew, Mar 25, 1921, in Italy; dau. of Gilbert Charles Tew and Phyllis Twomey Tew; m. James A.T. Douglas (economist), 1951; children: 3.
Conducted fieldwork in southwest Belgian Congo, Zaire (1949–50 and 1953); received PhD from Oxford University (1951) and dissertation published as The Lele of the Kasai (1963); began long association with University of London and Professor Daryll Forde (1951); conducted research into ritual dramatization of social patterns; though known for grid and group analysis, is possibly best known for pollution studies, such as Purity and Danger (1966); during distinguished academic career, taught at University of Oxford, University of London, Northwestern University, and Princeton University; served as resident scholar and director of culture program at Russell Sage Foundation, NY (1977–81). Other works include The World of Goods (with Baron Isherwood, 1979) and Risk and Culture (with Aaron Wildavsky, 1982).