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The Development of Biological Anthropology in Croatia during Socialism

Biological anthropology is the study of human biology from evolutionary and comparative perspectives, with an emphasis on the interaction between biology and culture. In its modern form biological anthropology emerged in Croatia in the 1970's when it was institutionalized, professionalized and introduced in the academia. A full maturation of biological anthropology as the new discipline in socialist Croatia is primarily linked to the work of Pavao Rudan and colleagues. Croatian anthropologist engaged in the fieldwork “at home” and became known for their theoretical and empirical contributions to the study of human variation. Micro-evolutionary aspects of population structuring in Eastern Adriatic isolates were studied through holistic anthropological approach, based on various measures of genetic, biological, bio-cultural and socio-cultural phenomena (e.g. classical genetic polymorphisms, anthropometric and physiological traits, dermatoglyphics, radiogrammetric measurements, historic migration patterns and linguistics). In contrast to other anthropological traditions of similar historic, political and economic backgrounds, Croatian anthropologists were influenced by Western European and North American intellectual impulses. Furthermore, Rudan and colleagues prioritized networking with the international anthropological scene and were active in publishing their work in English, in peer-reviewed anthropological journals. As the scholar educated in French, North American and Japanese anthropological traditions, Pavao Rudan was one of the key persons in Croatia responsible for promoting the idea that recent knowledge about human variation makes the concept of race obsolete.

biological anthropology; socalism; human variation; Eastern Adriatic isolates; holistic anthropological approach; migration patterns

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