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Jane C. Goodale

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Introduction

Jane Carter Goodale (1926-2008), an American anthropologist, author, photographer, and professor who worked to bring attention to the roles of women in Oceania and Australia through her extensive research in the field of ethnography. Having wrote and co-wrote numerous books and articles, the most notable being Tiwi Wives(1971), To Sing with Pigs Is Human (1995), The Two-Party Line (1996), Goodale’s achievements and contributions to her field continue to have major importance in the sociological role of women as well as in continuing the field of ethnography today. Goodale received her BA and MA from Radcliffe College and later her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and held teaching positions at Barnard College, the University of Pennsylvania, and at the Darwin Institute of Technology. Goodale worked to bring attention and notability to the ethnographic research, dedicating her work and encouraging her students in the collection of facts and information on other cultures during a time when many felt the practice was outdated and ineffective[1].

Early life

Jane Carter Goodale was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1926. The daughter of Susan Bainbridge Sturgis and Robert Lincoln Goodale, a prominent New England physician, Goodale grew up in a highly intellectual environment that greatly contributed to her interests, abilities, and later, to her career[2]. Goodale’s interest in genealogy, which was later emphasized in her work with the Tiwi, began at an early age within her own family lineage. Able to trace her family history back to the early 1630’s in the New England area , Goodale was proud of her ancestors’ adventurous spirits and attributed her own ambitious nature to them[3]. Her uncle, Eddie Goodale[4], journeyed with Admiral Byrd, the revolutionary American naval officer, explorer and aviator on his expeditions to the South Pole, which in part inspired Goodale’s desire for travel and adventure . Goodale also noted the importance of other “illustrious ancestors”[5] who influenced her ideas and ambitions early on in life such as Lucy Goodale Thurston, a missionary relative who travelled to Hawai’i in the early 1880’s[6]. The field of anthropology allowed Goodale to travel in a time when many women were not given such opportunities[7].

The skills Goodale acquired from her parents growing up were further encouraged and cultivated at Oldfields School where she graduated from in 1944. During her time at Oldfields, Goodale struggled as a student due to undiagnosed dyslexia. Her struggles at Oldfields greatly prepared Goodale for her future education, career, and especially mentorship she would face latter on in life. Goodale was able to get through her years at Oldfields with the help of her teacher Miss Anderson[8] who acted as Goodale’s mentor during her time in school. The mentoring Miss Anderson was able to provide for Goodale at Oldfields prepared her not only for her undergraduate and Master’s degrees[9] but also when Goodale herself became mentor to her own students.

Influence

Goodale died on November 5, 2008 after suffering from complications due to pulmonary hypertension. Continuing her research until the day she died, Goodale had been living in hospice care while maintaining her work on Tiwi genealogies with the help of her assistant[10]. After having taught and helped in establishing anthropology departments in various institutions across the US, Goodale’s contribution to the field of ethnography was of considerable significance. Pulling the Right Threads was published later in 2008 and edited by Laura Zimmer-Tamakoshi. Written and contributed to by former students and colleagues of Goodale’s, the final publication was meant as a collection of Goodale’s ethnographic work and mentoring methods[11]. The title came from Goodale’s own explanation on how to best solve ethnographic and cultural questions. Pulling the Right Threads acts to commemorate Goodale’s work as well as delve further into ethnographic work quoting:

As striking as Jane’s considerable body of writings on her research in Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) have been her generous commitment of time and ideas to students and colleagues and her evident empathy for the people she studies. The writers in this volume recognize and build on these seminal aspects of Jane’s work. They investigate the ways Jane has helped shape ethnographic and theoretical contributions in such fields as gender studies, the anthropology of aging, Pacific ethnography, and applied and development anthropology.[12]

Goodale’s personal interests and work in the area of gender studies brought attention to the changing roles of women, as well as having a long-lasting influence in the discipline of anthropology. This influence has been continued on by Goodale’s students focusing on the importance of accurate ethnographic data.

EARLY EDUCATION

Goodale grew up in an intellectual environment where she was encouraged to have inductive and deductive reasoning through games and puzzles.[13] These are the skills that would later help her in her ethnographic field work in places like Australia and Papua New Guinea, and also in understanding of the role of women in society. As a young girl she attended Oldfields School in Maryland which was an all girls school. During that time she is believed to have had undiagnosed dyslexia and with the help of her teacher Ms. Anderson, was able work towards overcoming this challenge.[14] In 1944 she graduated from Oldfields and she later went on to study Anthropology at Radcliffe College.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Goodale received her B.A in 1948 and M.A in 1951 from Radcliffe College. When she first started her undergraduate studies at Radcliffe University she intended to study medicine or Geography.[15] She was encouraged by fellow classmate Carleton S. Coon who was also a Harvard Anthropologist and in her sophomore year she enrolled in Anthropology, a move that changed her life tremendously.[16] While still at Radcliffe University she cofounded the Harvard-Radcliffe Anthropology club with Robert Dyson and served as its first president.

Goodale received her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1959. While still a student in the University of Pennsylvania she served as the newsletter editor for the venerable Philadelphia Anthropological Society and she would later on help found and then presided over the Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania (ASAO), the premier organization of Pacific anthropologists.Before receiving her Ph. D Goodale worked as Carleton Coon’s assistant.When Coon declined Charles Mountford's invitation to join his National Geographic Society expedition, and go to Melville Island to study the Australian Aboriginal population Goodale took his place. She began her ten month doctoral research in Australia in 1954 and she got her Ph.D in 1959.[17]

References

  1. ^ University of Illinois Press http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/74kpd2km9780252032677.html
  2. ^ http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1548-1433.2010.01241.x/full
  3. ^ http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1548-1433.2010.01241.x/full
  4. ^ Laura Zimmer-Tamakoshi and Jeanette Dickerson-Putnam (2008) Pulling the Right Threads
  5. ^ http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/74kpd2km9780252032677.html
  6. ^ Laura Zimmer-Tamakoshi and Jeanette Dickerson-Putnam (2008) Pulling the Right Threads
  7. ^ Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania http://www.asao.org/pacific/honoraryf/goodale.htm
  8. ^ University of Illinois Press http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/74kpd2km9780252032677.html
  9. ^ Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania http://www.asao.org/pacific/honoraryf/goodale.htm
  10. ^ Concord Funeral Home http://hosting-6450.tributes.com/show/Jane-Carter-Goodale-84952313
  11. ^ Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania http://www.asao.org/pacific/honoraryf/goodale.htm
  12. ^ Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania http://www.asao.org/pacific/honoraryf/goodale.htm
  13. ^ Laura Zimmer-Tamakoshi,Jane Carter Goodale (1926–2008). American Anthropologist, 19 MAY 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1548-1433.2010.01241.x. Volume 112, Issue 2, pages 344–347
  14. ^ Laura Zimmer-Tamakoshi,Jane Carter Goodale (1926–2008). American Anthropologist, 19 MAY 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1548-1433.2010.01241.x. Volume 112, Issue 2, pages 344–347
  15. ^ Laura Zimmer-Tamakoshi,Jane Carter Goodale (1926–2008). American Anthropologist, 19 MAY 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1548-1433.2010.01241.x. Volume 112, Issue 2, pages 344–347
  16. ^ Laura Zimmer-Tamakoshi,Jane Carter Goodale (1926–2008). American Anthropologist, 19 MAY 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1548-1433.2010.01241.x. Volume 112, Issue 2, pages 344–347
  17. ^ Laura Zimmer-Tamakoshi,Jane Carter Goodale (1926–2008). American Anthropologist, 19 MAY 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1548-1433.2010.01241.x. Volume 112, Issue 2, pages 344–347
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