Ethnohistory: A Choice between Being Anthropology or Being Nothing

Abstract

Ethnohistory is not highly regarded within anthropology because of two factors. The first is that anthropologists do not value library research. The second, and more fundamental, factor is that ethnohistorians have largely failed to deal with problems of broad anthropological interest. Too often ethnohistorical studies deal not with culture but with chronology. The work of some ethnohistorians shows this need not to be the case. If more ethnohistorians were to pursue positivistic, scientific goals, they might achieve a higher standing within anthropology.