""Coming of Age in Samoa"" is a landmark study in the field of cultural anthropology that explores the transition from childhood to adulthood within the context of a non-Western society. Conducted by renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead, this influential work presents a detailed examination of adolescent girls living in American Samoa during the 1920s. Through her observations, Mead investigates whether the turmoil and stress commonly associated with adolescence in Western cultures are universal human experiences or products of specific cultural environments.
By documenting the social structures, sexual norms, and familial relationships of the Samoan people, the book argues that culture-rather than biology alone-plays a primary role in shaping human behavior and psychological development. This work became a cornerstone of the school of cultural relativism, challenging prevailing scientific and social assumptions of its time. ""Coming of Age in Samoa"" remains an essential text for students of social science, gender studies, and psychology, offering profound insights into the diversity of human experience and the powerful impact of societal values on the individual's journey to maturity.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
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