David Graeber, an American anthropologist who maintained citizenship in both the United States and the United Kingdom, navigated a career defined by the intersection of scholarly economic theory and radical social activism. His work traversed the boundaries between formal university settings and the decentralized movements he sought to both observe and influence through his writing.
Academic Trajectory
Educated at Phillips Academy and the State University of New York at Purchase, Graeber eventually earned his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Chicago. His early research focus centered on the ethnography of Madagascar. Between 1998 and 2007, he held a teaching position at Yale University. Following the non-renewal of his contract there, he transitioned to Goldsmiths, University of London, serving there from 2007 until 2013, before joining the London School of Economics.
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Graeber's intellectual output was rooted in economic and social anthropology. His major publications include Toward an Anthropological Theory of Value and Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology. He further expanded his scope with works such as Debt, The Utopia of Rules, Lost People, Possibilities, and Direct Action. His collection of essays, Revolutions in Reverse: Essays on Politics, Violence, Art, and Imagination, reflected his interest in anarchist anthropology and the study of social structures.
Activism and Public Engagement
A proponent of libertarian socialism, Graeber maintained active membership in the Industrial Workers of the World and played a pivotal role in the Occupy Wall Street movement. His involvement in social protests and his advocacy for alternative economic arrangements formed a significant component of his public persona. He received recognition for his contributions through the Fulbright Scholarship and the Bread and Roses Award for his writing.
Fast facts
- Born: 1961, New York City
- Died: 2020, Venice
- Citizenship: United States and United Kingdom
- Key Academic Posts: Yale University, Goldsmiths, University of London, London School of Economics
- Field: Economic and Social Anthropology
- Movement: Libertarian socialism and anarchist anthropology
- Notable Recognition: Fulbright Scholarship and Bread and Roses Award
Questions readers ask
Which universities employed David Graeber?
He was employed at Yale University (1998-2007), Goldsmiths, University of London (2007-2013), and the London School of Economics.
What subjects did Graeber study during his academic career?
His fields of work included economic anthropology, social anthropology, and anarchist anthropology.
Achievements
- Notable work: Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology
- Notable work: Debt
- Notable work: Toward an Anthropological Theory of Value
- Notable work: The Utopia of Rules
- Affiliated with Yale University, Goldsmiths, University of London and London School of Economics and Political Science
- Educated at University of Chicago and Phillips Academy
- Worked as anthropologist, university teacher and writer
