Final answer:
Anthropology in the U.S. is credited to Franz Boas, who emphasized empirical field research and set the foundation for modern anthropological practices. His legacy shaped the discipline and paved the way for changes and critical evaluations of methods and representations, especially in relation to Indigenous peoples.
Step-by-step explanation:
The discipline of Anthropology in the United States is largely attributed to Franz Boas, who is credited with establishing the standards of field research that became the foundation of contemporary anthropological practices. Boas was a professor at Columbia University and played a crucial role as a pioneer in the field. His method emphasized the importance of obtaining ethnographical information directly from the people being studied, creating a more accurate and respectful approach to anthropology.
Despite the establishment of sociology and medical anthropology as separate disciplines through various contributors like William Sumner, Albion Small, George Foster, and Barbara Anderson, it was Boas who laid the groundwork for the holistic and empirical approach in anthropology that defined the discipline in America. Sherwood Washburn's introduction of a "new physical anthropology" in 1951 further expanded the field away from racial typology to focus on human evolution and primatology, which was in line with the reimagining of anthropology that Boas advocated.
Anthropology faced significant changes through time, including criticisms from Native scholars and others questioning the nature of anthropological research, especially in the context of colonization and respects to Indigenous voices. This enriched the discipline, calling for a more inclusive and critical examination of research methodologies and the representation of Indigenous peoples.