Why did anthropologists study nationalism and modernization in newly independent states?

Following World War II, the collapse of colonial empires in Asia and Africa led to the emergence of numerous newly independent states, which presented anthropologists with new, urgent questions regarding the cultural dimensions of political movements and nationalism.1

Anthropologists studied these states for several key reasons:

• Understanding Political Change: Researchers sought to determine if national movements were constituted culturally and how cultural forms blended with new political institutions.1
• Modernization Theory: Anthropologists borrowed the concept of modernization from political science to analyze how traditional social structures, such as family and kin groups, responded to modernizing influences.12
• Policy and Development: As global development became a primary concern, many anthropologists conducted research intended to inform political policy and decision-making for international organizations and governments.2
• Experimental Fieldwork: These settings provided opportunities to observe how traditional societies evolved and responded to dynamic tensions and conflicts rather than seeking static equilibrium.2

While initially focused on these modernization projects, the discipline later faced significant criticism regarding the prescriptive nature of these theories, eventually shifting toward more interpretive and transnational studies.13