What is Franz Boaz's major contribution to anthropology?

Question

What is Franz Boaz's major contribution to anthropology?

Answer 1

To attack the notion of ethnocentrism. All cultures are equal and there is no 'superior' race. You have to remember that he was writing during a time when races were thought to on a heirarchy; a prelude to the n**i's and social darwinism. His teachings were later picked up on by future Anthropologists and have developed into the notion of cultural relativity and cultural respect...

Answer 2

The term is "Historical Particularism" which was both the idea that the previous held notion of societies as "savage, barbaric or civilized" was rubbish and the idea that the development of a culture must be understood as having a historical and cultural context.

I think more people, however, would say his major contribution was the concept of participant-observation.