Claude Lévi-Strauss

Claude Lévi-Strauss was a French anthropologist who revolutionized our understanding of human culture. His structural anthropology focused on the invisible, universal structures of thought that connect humanity beneath the surface of diverse traditions. He rejected viewing Western civilization as superior, emphasizing that the 'savage mind' is as rational and complex as the 'civilized' one. His work examines deep patterns in myths, social arrangements, and marriage rules, revealing shared mental categories across cultures. Lévi-Strauss invited readers to reconsider assumptions about human nature and cultural relativism.