Thursday, July 27, 2017

Arthur Vidich in Palau, the site of his anthropological study

His Mediterranean heritage helped Art to survive the many years he lived on tropical islands without any serious skin damage. He spent a year on the island of Palau, four years on the island of Puerto Rico, and collectively over four years in Colombia, Japan and Iran, Florida and Eastern Europe. These wide ranging experiences not only exposed him to climates and cultures that were foreign to his mid-west upbringing, they had a strong impact on the future direction of his research and professional interests.

Art never forgot Palau and remained in touch with numerous people from that island throughout his career. His 1952 Ph.D. thesis of Palau, the "Political Impact of Colonial Administration" would eventually be published in 1982 by Arno Press. It remains the definitive study of Palau's political and social structure to this day.

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