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Re: intelligence
wilkr (wilkr@INDIANA.EDU)
Sun, 5 Feb 1995 01:08:03 -0400
About two hours ago anthropology lost both a great scholar and an
exceptional human being.
Bob Netting died from a fungal infection of the lungs, a complication
from multiple myeloma, a cancer that was discovered just a few weeks ago,
when he returned from the Atlanta AAA meetings.
Bob was well know in anthropology through his writing on household
organization, demography and common property. His recent book
"Smallholders, Householders" was the culmination of a life's work.
But he was still in the field, still growing and learning - spent the
summer in Nigeria in a new ethnographic project, and the fall learning to
use remote-sensing technology for studying change in land-use.
That was one side of Bob, the scholar absorbed by intellectual issues.
Another side was Bob as a teacher. Generations of students drank in his
quiet integrity, grew in the light of his encouraging interest, and found
him a model and an inspiration. His famous 5 x 7 index cards made every
class an intellectual encyclopedia, tied together by a dry sense of humor
and a complete lack of pretense or cynicism.
Then there was Bob Netting the humane and warm friend and colleague. His
appetite for good wine, exotic food and bad puns was shared with many
admirers. He had a real zest for life - he enjoyed drinking schnapps with
the old farmers in Torbel as much as he loved tracing their history back
to the 16th century.
Robert McC Netting will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege to
know him. He was one of the best. It is hard to believe he is gone.
Richard Wilk Anthropology Dept.
812-855-8162 (voice) Indiana University
812-855-4358 (fax) Bloomington, IN 47405
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