Why did Clark Wissler and Franz Boas disagree about anthropological research?

The disagreement between Franz Boas and Clark Wissler stemmed from fundamental differences in their anthropological methodologies and personal professional history.

Initially, their relationship was strained when Wissler accepted the curatorship at the American Museum of Natural History after Boas resigned, an act Boas perceived as disloyalty.1

Theoretically, they diverged on the purpose of anthropological research:
* Boas and Particularism: Boas advocated for particularism, emphasizing the exhaustive study of individual cultures to reconstruct their unique histories. He rejected the search for universal "laws" of culture, favoring cultural relativism instead.12
* Wissler’s Comparative Approach: Wissler found the particularist focus "ascientific." He sought to reinsert cross-cultural analysis into the field, aiming to uncover lawlike statements about culture through systematic, comparative studies of traits and their geographic distribution.1

Finally, their rift was deepened by Wissler’s growing interest in eugenics, a field that Boas strongly abhorred.3