Ethel Mary Albert Papers

Ethel M. Albert was born on March 28, 1918. She received her B.A. from Brooklyn College in 1942 and her M.A. from Columbia University in 1947. She was awarded a PhD in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin in 1949. She taught philosophy at Brooklyn College (1946-1947) and Syracuse University (1949-1952). She later taught speech at the University of California at Berkeley (1958-1966) and anthropology and speech at Northwestern University (1966-1977). From 1958-66, she served as chair of the committee for African Studies (a part of the Institute of International Studies). She was chair of the anthropology department at Northwestern University from 1972-73. Albert's ethnographic research focused on communication and speech, and values and ethics. She pursued these themes cross-culturally across a wide spectrum of social classes, ethnic groups and locations. She carried out work among the Navaho while serving as a research associate with the Laboratory of Social Relations at Harvard University (1953-1955). As a Ford Foundation fellow (1955-1957), she carried out ethnographic studies of the Tutsi, Hutu and Twa peoples of Burundi, from which she produced numerous notes and writings. Albert died at the age of 71 in October of 1989, in Sarasota, Florida. Chronology of the life of Ethel Mary Albert 1918 -- Born on the 28th of March in New Britain, CT.; daughter of Zundel and Dorothy (Eisenstadt) Sokolsky 1942 -- Receives her B.A. from Brooklyn College 1947 -- Receives her M.A. from Columbia University 1946-1947 -- Instructor of philosophy at Brooklyn College 1949 -- Awarded a PhD in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin 1949-1952 -- Instructor of philosophy at Syracuse University 1953-1955 -- Research associate with the Laboratory of Social Relations at Harvard University; carries out work among the Navahos 1955-1957 -- Carries out an ethnographic study of the Rundi Culture in central Africa as a Ford Foundation Fellow in the Overseas African Program 1957-1958 -- Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, California 1958-1966 -- Instructor of speech at the University of California at Berkeley 1960,1961 -- Assistant Director for ethnology, National Science Foundation Project on Educational Resources in Anthropology 1963-1965 -- Chairman of committee for African studies (Institute of International Studies), University of California at Berkeley 1964-1965 -- Appointed vice-chairman of the speech department at the University of California at Berkeley 1966-1977 -- Professor of anthropology and speech at Northwestern University 1973 -- Chairman of anthropology and speech department, Northwestern University