Final answer:
Bronislaw Malinowski is considered the father of social anthropology for his pioneering holistic field study in the Trobiand Islands during World War I, which led to a new understanding of cultural research.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bronislaw Malinowski spent most of World War I in the Trobiand Islands of the South Pacific, conducting a holistic field study of Trobiand culture. Because he pioneered this intensive research method, he is known as the father of social anthropology. Malinowski's fieldwork emphasized the importance of participant observation and immersion in a culture for an extended period to gain a comprehensive understanding of its intricacies. His work in the Trobiand Islands led to the writing of Argonauts of the Western Pacific (1922), which explored the kula ring and its significance in the social and economic life of the Trobrianders. His contributions to anthropology reshaped how cultural research is conducted and has had a lasting impact on the field.