George Murdock

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For the first mayor of Calgary, Alberta, see George Murdoch

George Peter Murdock (May 11, 1897 - March 29, 1985) was a notable anthropologist. Born in Meriden, Connecticut, he received his doctorate from Yale University in 1925. During World War II, he worked on a project to develop information about the South Pacific at Columbia University for the War Department, and this study required the translation and use of German and Japanese materials. One may assume that his interest in Cross-Cultural Studies, the comparison of traits from many societies, stemmed from this work. Later, he helped establish the Human Relations Area Files at Yale University. He also taught at the University of Maryland and University of Pittsburgh.

His interest in collecting many cultural traits for comparative purposes led to such publications as: Atlas of World Cultures (1981), Outline of Cultural Materials (1982), and Outline of World Cultures (1983).

Publications

Murdock, G. P. 1967. Ethnographic Atlas: A Summary. Pittsburgh: The University of Pittsburgh Press.
Murdock, G. P. 1970. Kin Term Patterns and their Distribution. Ethnology 9: 165–207.
Murdock, G. P. 1981. Atlas of World Cultures. Pittsburgh: The University of Pittsburgh Press.
Murdock, G. P. 1985. Kin Term Patterns and their Distribution. World Cultures 1(4): stds25.dat, stds25.cod.
Murdock, G. P., and D. O. Morrow. 1970. Subsistence Economy and Supportive Practices: Cross-Cultural Codes 1. Ethnology 9: 302–30.
Murdock, G. P., and C. A. Provost. 1973. Measurement of Cultural Complexity. Ethnology 12: 379–92.
Murdock, G. P., R. Textor, H. Barry III, D. R. White, J. P. Gray, and W. Divale. 1999–2000. Ethnographic Atlas. World Cultures 10(1): 24–136, at01–09.sav; 11(1): ea10.sav (the third electronic version) [link].
Murdock, G. P., and D. R. White. 1969. Standard Cross-Cultural Sample. Ethnology 8: 329–69.
Murdock, G. P., and S. F. Wilson. 1972. Settlement Patterns and Community Organization: Cross-Cultural Codes 3. Ethnology 11: 254–95.

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