Ashley Montagu
Overview
Montague Francis Ashley Montagu (born Israel Ehrenberg on June 28, 1905, London, Great Britain - died November 26, 1999, Princeton, New Jersey, United States) was a British-American anthropologist and humanist
, of Jewish ancestry, who popularized topics such as race and gender
and their relation to politics and development. He was the rapporteur
(appointed investigator), in 1950, for the UNESCO
statement The Race Question
.
As a young man he changed his name to "Montague Francis Ashley-Montagu".
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
, of Jewish ancestry, who popularized topics such as race and gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
and their relation to politics and development. He was the rapporteur
Rapporteur
Rapporteur is used in international and European legal and political contexts to refer to a person appointed by a deliberative body to investigate an issue or a situation....
(appointed investigator), in 1950, for the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
statement The Race Question
The Race Question
The Race Question is the first of four UNESCO statements about issues of race. It was issued on 18 July 1950 following World War II and Nazi racism. The statement was an attempt to clarify what was scientifically known about race and a moral condemnation of racism...
.
As a young man he changed his name to "Montague Francis Ashley-Montagu".
Quotations
The family unit is the institution for the systematic production of mental illness.
interview on "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson" promoting the latest edition of his book The Natural Superiority of Women (orig. 1952)
The Eskimos live among ice all their lives but have no single word for ice.
Man: His first Million Years, this quote begins the penultimate chapter of Trout Fishing in America by Richard Brautigan
The world is so full of wonderful things we should all, if we were taught how to appreciate it, be far richer than kings
Ashley Montagu. Growing Young (Granby, MA: Bergin & Garvey, 1989), p. 120.