N.A. Butinov: portret na fone veka (k 100-letiiu so dnia rozhdeniia)

Abstract

The article discusses the life and academic career of Nikolai Butinov, a scholar who made significant contributions to the ethnographic study of South Pacific, as well as to the theoretical research in anthropology focusing on issues of early societies. The author traces the development of scholarly outlook of Butinov who had been an adherent of traditionalist concepts and ideas in his early career but later became a staunch supporter of novel approaches to the exploration of early stages of human development, and critic of outdated theoretical dogmas in ethnography and historical research.