Kathleen Gough facts for kids
Eleanor Kathleen Gough Aberle (born August 16, 1925 – died September 8, 1990) was a British anthropologist and feminist. An anthropologist studies human societies and cultures. A feminist believes in equal rights for women.
Kathleen Gough was known for her important work in South Asia and South-East Asia. For her doctorate degree, she did field research in Malabar district from 1947 to 1949. This means she lived among the people she studied to learn about their lives. She did more research in Tanjore district from 1950 to 1953, and again in 1976. She also studied in Vietnam in 1976 and 1982.
Kathleen also worked to support many causes. She campaigned for nuclear disarmament, which means getting rid of nuclear weapons. She supported the civil rights movement, fighting for equal rights for all people. She also worked for women's rights and for developing countries. She wanted the Vietnam War to end. She held Marxist beliefs, which are ideas about a society where everyone is equal. Because of her strong political views, she was even on an FBI watchlist.
Early Life and Education
Kathleen Gough was born on August 16, 1925. She grew up in Hunsingore, a small village in Yorkshire, England. At that time, the village had only 100 people. It did not have electricity or running water. Kathleen had a brother and a half-sister. Her father, Albert, was a blacksmith. He was known for his strong working-class political ideas.
Kathleen went to the church school in Hunsingore. She earned a scholarship to King James's Grammar School in Knaresborough. In 1943, she received another scholarship to Girton College, Cambridge. She was very good at anthropology at Girton. She continued her studies there after graduating.
In July 1947, while doing her research, she married Eric John Miller. He was also a student. They both did anthropological fieldwork in Kerala, India. Kathleen finished her doctorate degree in anthropology from Cambridge University in 1950. She then returned to India alone to continue her research.
Her Work and Discoveries
Kathleen Gough's main research in India was in the Malabar district from 1947 to 1949. She also worked in the Tanjore district from 1950 to 1953. Her studies were very important and new for her time. She published five papers in the 1950s.
She wrote more than half of a book called Matrilineal Kinship in 1961. This book looked at how some societies trace family lines through the mother's side. Her work helped others understand these family structures. Many later studies built on her ideas.
She went back to India in 1976. After this visit, she published most of her research on India. She also visited Vietnam in 1976 and again in 1982.
Kathleen Gough taught at several universities. She worked at Brandeis University from 1961 to 1963. Then she taught at the University of Oregon from 1963 to 1967. She also taught at Simon Fraser University from 1967 to 1970. She was an Honorary Research Associate at the University of British Columbia from 1974 until she passed away. She also taught and did research at other famous universities.
She married fellow anthropologist David Aberle in 1955. Kathleen Gough died from cancer in Vancouver on September 8, 1990. She was 65 years old.
Her Political Beliefs
Kathleen Gough believed in Marxist ideas. This means she thought society should be more equal, with shared resources. Her strong political views sometimes caused problems with university leaders.
She supported Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She also spoke out against unfair actions by the police. Because of her views, some of her planned salary increases were canceled.
Kathleen was part of a political group called the Johnson-Forest Tendency. Her work for civil rights and against the Vietnam War caught the attention of the FBI. The FBI placed her and her husband on a watchlist. This meant the government watched them closely because of their strong opinions. She was also active in peace movements at Brandeis University from 1961 to 1963.
Kathleen Gough worked to improve the lives of people in lower social groups in India. She hoped to bring them closer to ideas of equality. She also disagreed with powerful groups who generally supported different political ideas.
Her Books
Some of Kathleen Gough's important books include:
- Ten More Beautiful: The Rebuilding of Vietnam (1978)
- Rural Society in Southeast India (1981)
- Rural Change in Southeast India, 1950s–1980s (1989)
- Political Economy in Vietnam (1990)