Jean La Fontaine facts for kids
Jean Sybil La Fontaine (born 1 November 1931) is a British anthropologist. An anthropologist is someone who studies human societies and cultures. She is also a professor who has retired but still holds a special title at the London School of Economics.
Professor La Fontaine has done important research in Africa and the United Kingdom. Her studies have covered topics like how people perform special ceremonies (rituals) and how boys and girls are seen differently in society. She also researched how to protect children from harm, especially in certain group activities. In 1994, she wrote a government report. This report was about understanding and preventing harm to children in organized group settings.
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Early Life and Education
Jean La Fontaine was born in Nairobi, Kenya, on 1 November 1931. She attended The Kenya High School in Nairobi. After that, she went to Newnham College, Cambridge, a famous university in England.
Studying Anthropology
At Cambridge, she studied archaeology and anthropology. She earned her first degree in 1953. Later, she completed her Ph.D. in 1957. This higher degree showed her deep knowledge in the field of anthropology.
Career in Academia
Professor La Fontaine had a long and successful career teaching at several universities.
Teaching Positions
- She taught part-time at King's College, Newcastle in 1961.
- From 1962 to 1963, she taught at Lovanium University in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo).
- She also taught at Birkbeck College from 1965 to 1968.
Professor at LSE
In 1968, Jean La Fontaine became a Reader in Anthropology at the London School of Economics (LSE). A Reader is a senior academic position. She became a full Professor of Anthropology at LSE in 1978. She retired from teaching in 1983. After retiring, she was given the title of professor emeritus. This means she kept her professor title as an honor.
Leading the Royal Anthropological Institute
From 1985 to 1987, Professor La Fontaine was the president of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. This is a very important organization for anthropologists in the UK.
Awards and Honors
Jean La Fontaine has received special recognition for her work.
Honorary Doctorates
She has been awarded honorary doctorates from several universities. These are special degrees given to people who have made great contributions.
- In 1999, she received an honorary doctorate from the University of Linkoping in Sweden.
- The Open University in the UK honored her in 2003.
- In 2008, she received another honorary doctorate from Goldsmiths, University of London.
External Resources
- Video interview with Jean La Fontaine from 1982
