Claude Lévi-Strauss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Claude Lévi-Strauss
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| Born | 28 November 1908 Brussels, Belgium |
| Died | 30 October 2009 (aged 100) Paris, France |
| Era | 20th century philosophy |
| Region | Western Philosophy |
| School | Structuralism |
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Main interests
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Anthropology Society Kinship Linguistics |
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Notable ideas
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Structuralism Mythography Culinary triangle Bricolage |
Claude Lévi-Strauss (born November 28, 1908 – died October 30, 2009) was a very important French anthropologist. An anthropologist is someone who studies human societies and cultures. He also worked as an ethnologist, which means he studied different groups of people and their customs.
His work helped create a big idea called structuralism. This way of thinking suggests that all human minds work in similar ways. He believed that people everywhere, no matter their culture, share basic ways of thinking. These ideas made him one of the most important figures in modern anthropology.
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Who Was Claude Lévi-Strauss?
Claude Lévi-Strauss was born in Brussels, Belgium. He later moved to France. He became a professor at the Collège de France, a famous school in Paris. He taught there from 1959 to 1982.
He was also chosen to be a member of the Académie française in 1973. This is a very respected group in France that looks after the French language. Many people called him one of the "fathers of modern anthropology." This means he helped shape how we study human cultures today.
His Big Idea: Structuralism
Lévi-Strauss had a powerful idea about how people think. He believed that even people in very different cultures share the same basic ways of understanding the world. He said that the "savage" mind (meaning people in traditional societies) had the same structures as the "civilized" mind. This means that human characteristics are the same everywhere.
His famous book, Tristes Tropiques, explored these ideas. It showed how his thoughts became central to the structuralist way of thinking. Structuralism is like searching for the hidden patterns in how people think and act. It looks for the basic rules that shape all human activities, from language to myths. His ideas influenced many areas, including sociology and philosophy.
Later Life and Legacy
Claude Lévi-Strauss lived a very long life. In 2008, he turned 100 years old. He was the first member of the Académie française to reach this age.
He passed away on October 30, 2009, just a few weeks before his 101st birthday. His death was announced a few days later. Many important people spoke about his impact.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy called him "one of the greatest ethnologists of all time." Bernard Kouchner, who was the French Foreign Minister, said that Lévi-Strauss helped us understand that history and humanity are not just about one culture's view. He said Lévi-Strauss's ideas helped us build a fairer and more human world.
Images for kids
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Claude Lévi-Strauss, receiving the Erasmus Prize (1973)
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See also
In Spanish: Claude Lévi-Strauss para niños
