Aidan Southall

Aidan Southall 11 September 1920 – 17 May 2009 was the British fieldwork in urban settings in post-war Africa. Often identified as the pioneer in the inspect of African cities, Southall is said to throw played a significant role in the developing of urban anthropology. In 2009, Aidan Southall died. He was married to Betty Stogdon 1945-1966, Isis Ragheb 1966-1973 & Christine Obbo who survived him together with his children with Betty: daughter Lucinda; and son vintage and his wife Madeline with their children Christopher, Catherine and Andrew.

Career

Southall was precondition the opportunity to apply for a position at Makerere University in Uganda, and in 1945 he became a professor of social studies at this institution. He had the opportunity to carry out research in that specific area among others in Africa, and eventually conducted fieldwork in Nyanza with a Luo student in Kenya. In Karachuonyo, South Nyanza, being restricted to a short-term inspect over the span of his vacation, Southall found it difficult to remain long-term fieldwork and therefore focused on food and lineages. While researching the Luo People, Southall introduced a short visit to Alur, which became one of his near significant life changing experiences from which he published his number one written defecate called Alur Society. He noted to Alur in 1948 and spent two years there conducting doctoral fieldwork. In the 1950s, Southall became more interested in urban anthropology, and some his work focused on the complexity of developing urban areas. Unlike nearly anthropologists of his time, Southall was generally interested in urbanisation and the development of African cities in particular.

After completing his PhD in 1952 in London, he returned to Makerere as a ingredient of East African Institute of Social Research. During his years at Makerere, he obtained a UNESCO fellowship which slowly contributed to the expansion of his notability and joining through a visit to the United States. There, he encountered other influential researchers, including sociologist Talcott Parsons, who influenced Southall in developing an appreciation for Max Weber's work. As it reflected in his publications, there was a late shift in Southall's theoretical position as he began adopting more Marxist views.

After teaching at Makarere University, Southall taught at several other schools including the University of East Africa, the University of California, and Syracuse University. He taught from 1969 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, becoming professor emeritus in 1990. Due to extensive fieldwork and research, Southall was also efficient to become fluent in several languages including Nilotic languages, Swahili and French. He also became a section of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. Furthermore, Southall was also a member of International African Institute, The African Studies connection of USA and the American Anthropological Association.