Marcel Mauss

Marcel Mauss was a French sociologist and anthropologist known as the "father of French ethnology". The nephew of Émile Durkheim, Mauss, in his academic work, crossed the boundaries between sociology and anthropology. Today, he is perhaps better recognised for his influence on the latter discipline, particularly with respect to his analyses of topics such as magic, sacrifice and gift exchange in different cultures around the world. Mauss had a significant influence upon Claude Lévi-Strauss, the founder of structural anthropology. His most famous work is The Gift (1925).

10 May 1872

Born on the same birth day (10 May): Carl Albert • Donovan • Konstantinos Parthenis • Lisa Nowak • Tonita Peña • Victoria Rowell

Born in the same month (May 1872): Anton Korošec • Bertrand Russell • Djemal Pasha • Elia Dalla Costa • Hugo Alfvén • Ichiyō Higuchi • Marian Smoluchowski • Sidónio Pais • Willem de Sitter