Max Gluckman

Max Gluckman was a South African anthropologist whose work focused on understanding how societies organize themselves and resolve conflicts. He believed that social rules and hierarchies are dynamic, often changing based on circumstances, and that conflicts can reveal underlying social structures. Gluckman emphasized that studying social behavior requires observing context and relationships rather than just laws or customs. His insights helped deepen the understanding of social interactions, especially in African cultures, and influenced the fields of anthropology, sociology, and conflict resolution by highlighting the importance of pragmatic, situational analysis.