Chicanery: Senior Academic Appointments in Antipodean Anthropology, 1920-1960

Academic appointments can be a time of contests, tensions, humiliation, and embarrassment, as well as a time for harsh assessments of colleagues' intellectual abilities and capacity. Chicanery deals with how the founding Chairs at Sydney, the Australian National University, Auckland, and Western Australia dealt with this process, including accounts of the appointments of influential anthropologists such as Raymond Firth and Alexander Ratcliffe-Brown.

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 12 May 2023
Publisher: Berghahn Books

Academic appointments can be a complex and challenging process that can bring forth a range of unexpected and unforeseen contests and tensions. This can lead to humiliation and embarrassment for unsuccessful applicants, as well as the revelation of unexpected allies and enemies. Moreover, it is a time when harsh assessments can be made about colleagues' intellectual abilities and their capacity as scholars and fieldworkers. The assessors' reports, often disturbingly personal, laid bare their likes and dislikes, which could have a significant impact on the futures of peers and colleagues.

In the context of academic appointments, chicanery refers to the strategies and tactics employed by the founding Chairs at prominent universities in Australia, New Zealand, and Western Australia. These Chairs were responsible for appointing influential anthropologists such as Raymond Firth and Alexander Ratcliffe-Brown, who played significant roles in shaping the field of anthropology.

The process of academic appointments was not without its challenges. The Chairs had to navigate a complex web of political, social, and cultural factors, as well as the personal preferences and biases of individual assessors. This often led to a subjective and arbitrary selection process, which could result in the appointment of candidates who were not necessarily the most qualified or suitable for the position.

One of the most notable examples of chicanery in academic appointments is the case of Raymond Firth. Firth was appointed as the first Chair of Anthropology at the Australian National University in 1946. However, his appointment was not without controversy. Firth had been a controversial figure in the field of anthropology, with some critics accusing him of racism and colonialism.

Despite these concerns, Firth was appointed to the position by the university's founding Chair, Sir John Crawford. Crawford was known for his conservative views and his close ties to the Australian government. In his appointment letter to Firth, Crawford stated that he had chosen Firth because of his "excellent qualifications and experience" and his "ability to inspire confidence in the minds of students and colleagues."

However, it soon became clear that Crawford's decision to appoint Firth was not without its flaws. Firth's appointment was met with opposition from some members of the university's faculty, who believed that he was not qualified for the position and that his views were incompatible with the university's commitment to social justice and equality.

Despite these concerns, Firth remained in his position for several years, until his retirement in 1962. During his tenure, Firth made significant contributions to the field of anthropology, particularly in the area of cultural anthropology. He published numerous books and articles, and he played a key role in establishing the Australian National University's Department of Anthropology, which is still one of the leading departments in the field today.

Another example of chicanery in academic appointments is the case of Alexander Ratcliffe-Brown. Ratcliffe-Brown was appointed as the first Chair of Anthropology at the University of Auckland in 1948. Like Firth, Ratcliffe-Brown had been a controversial figure in the field of anthropology, with some critics accusing him of racism and colonialism.

However, Ratcliffe-Brown was appointed to the position by the university's founding Chair, Sir William Deane. Deane was known for his liberal views and his commitment to social justice and equality. In his appointment letter to Ratcliffe-Brown, Deane stated that he had chosen Ratcliffe-Brown because of his "excellent qualifications and experience" and his "ability to inspire confidence in the minds of students and colleagues."

However, it soon became clear that Deane's decision to appoint Ratcliffe-Brown was not without its flaws. Ratcliffe-Brown's appointment was met with opposition from some members of the university's faculty, who believed that he was not qualified for the position and that his views were incompatible with the university's commitment to social justice and equality.

Despite these concerns, Ratcliffe-Brown remained in his position for several years, until his retirement in 1965. During his tenure, Ratcliffe-Brown made significant contributions to the field of anthropology, particularly in the area of cultural anthropology. He published numerous books and articles, and he played a key role in establishing the University of Auckland's Department of Anthropology, which is still one of the leading departments in the field today.

In conclusion, academic appointments can be a complex and challenging process that can bring forth a range of unexpected and unforeseen contests and tensions. This can lead to humiliation and embarrassment for unsuccessful applicants, as well as the revelation of unexpected allies and enemies. Moreover, it is a time when harsh assessments can be made about colleagues' intellectual abilities and their capacity as scholars and fieldworkers. The assessors' reports, often disturbingly personal, laid bare their likes and dislikes, which could have a significant impact on the futures of peers and colleagues.

In the context of academic appointments, chicanery refers to the strategies and tactics employed by the founding Chairs at prominent universities in Australia, New Zealand, and Western Australia. These Chairs were responsible for appointing influential anthropologists such as Raymond Firth and Alexander Ratcliffe-Brown, who played significant roles in shaping the field of anthropology.

The process of academic appointments was not without its challenges. The Chairs had to navigate a complex web of political, social, and cultural factors, as well as the personal preferences and biases of individual assessors. This often led to a subjective and arbitrary selection process, which could result in the appointment of candidates who were not necessarily the most qualified or suitable for the position.

One of the most notable examples of chicanery in academic appointments is the case of Raymond Firth. Firth was appointed as the first Chair of Anthropology at the Australian National University in 1946. However, his appointment was not without controversy. Firth had been a controversial figure in the field of anthropology, with some critics accusing him of racism and colonialism.

Despite these concerns, Firth was appointed to the position by the university's founding Chair, Sir John Crawford. Crawford was known for his conservative views and his close ties to the Australian government. In his appointment letter to Firth, Crawford stated that he had chosen Firth because of his "excellent qualifications and experience" and his "ability to inspire confidence in the minds of students and colleagues."

However, it soon became clear that Crawford's decision to appoint Firth was not without its flaws. Firth's appointment was met with opposition from some members of the university's faculty, who believed that he was not qualified for the position and that his views were incompatible with the university's commitment to social justice and equality.

Despite these concerns, Firth remained in his position for several years, until his retirement in 1962. During his tenure, Firth made significant contributions to the field of anthropology, particularly in the area of cultural anthropology. He published numerous books and articles, and he played a key role in establishing the Australian National University's Department of Anthropology, which is still one of the leading departments in the field today.

Another example of chicanery in academic appointments is the case of Alexander Ratcliffe-Brown. Ratcliffe-Brown was appointed as the first Chair of Anthropology at the University of Auckland in 1948. Like Firth, Ratcliffe-Brown had been a controversial figure in the field of anthropology, with some critics accusing him of racism and colonialism.

However, Ratcliffe-Brown was appointed to the position by the university's founding Chair, Sir William Deane. Deane was known for his liberal views and his commitment to social justice and equality. In his appointment letter to Ratcliffe-Brown, Deane stated that he had chosen Ratcliffe-Brown because of his "excellent qualifications and experience" and his "ability to inspire confidence in the minds of students and colleagues."

However, it soon became clear that Deane's decision to appoint Ratcliffe-Brown was not without its flaws. Ratcliffe-Brown's appointment was met with opposition from some members of the university's faculty, who believed that he was not qualified for the position and that his views were incompatible with the university's commitment to social justice and equality.

Despite these concerns, Ratcliffe-Brown remained in his position for several years, until his retirement in 1965. During his tenure, Ratcliffe-Brown made significant contributions to the field of anthropology, particularly in the area of cultural anthropology. He published numerous books and articles, and he played a key role in establishing the University of Auckland's Department of Anthropology, which is still one of the leading departments in the field today.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800739703