How did anthropology expand beyond Western Europe and North America after World War II?

After World War II, anthropology expanded significantly beyond its traditional roots in Western Europe and North America, evolving from a largely Western-dominated scholarly enterprise into a more global discipline. This expansion was driven by several key factors:1

• Institutional Growth: Beginning in the 1930s and accelerating after the war, anthropology departments and research institutes were established in countries such as Japan, India, China, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, South Africa, and Nigeria.1
• Postcolonial Shifts: As many nations gained independence, the discipline began to move away from its colonial associations. In Africa, for example, the focus shifted from structural-functionalist studies of "tribal" societies toward Marxist-derived interests in political economy and development.2
• Local Scholarship: Non-Western scholars increasingly played a critical role in bridging Western theory with locally grounded knowledge. Figures like M.N. Srinivas in India and various scholars in China and Vietnam adapted anthropological methods to their own national contexts, often challenging Western perspectives in the process.32
• Global Collaboration: By the late 20th century, increased collaboration and training in Western universities led to a more international community of anthropologists. Research agendas in non-Western countries became increasingly independent, focusing on local social realities, modernization, and development issues.134

This transformation has helped shift anthropology toward a field where Western perspectives are regularly challenged by non-Western ones, reflecting a more diverse and globalized approach to the study of humanity.1