William H. Durham : An Oral History
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- William H. Durham is the Bing Professor in Human Biology emeritus and Senior Fellow emeritus at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford. He discusses growing up in Ohio, describing his early fascination with fossils and rocks and the educational trajectory that led him to Stanford. He reminisces about his undergraduate years, recalling how his experiences at Stanford in France led him to change his major to Biological Sciences. He also describes participating in the first Earth Day, documenting campus unrest in 1970, his undergraduate research project on the effects of air pollution on student health, and the early days of the Human Biology Program. After discussing his graduate education at the University of Michigan and his interdisciplinary research in El Salvador and Honduras, Durham shares memories of joining the Stanford Anthropology and Human Biology faculty, the impact of receiving a MacArthur Fellowship on his research, and his theory of coevolution. He speaks about how leading Stanford Travel/Study trips to the Galapagos enriched his thinking about evolution and anthropology, describing insights that led to his book Exuberant Life. He also describes his research on ecotourism and involvement with the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) and his work in Costa Rica with INOGO (Initiative on Osa and Golfito). Durham also shares memories of Donald Kennedy and other mentors and reflects on the splintering of anthropology as a field and the role of storytelling in teaching.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Extent | 1 text file |
| Place | Stanford (Calif.) |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
| Date created | May 19, 2022 - 2022-05-31 |
| Language | English |
| Digital origin | born digital |
Creators/Contributors
| Interviewee | Durham, William H. | |
|---|---|---|
| Creator | Durham, William H. | |
| Interviewer | Marine-Street, Natalie J. | |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
Subjects
| Subject | Durham, William H. |
|---|---|
| Subject | Stanford University. Department of Anthropology |
| Subject | Coevolution |
| Subject | Evolution (Biology) |
| Genre | Interview |
Bibliographic information
| Biographical Profile | William (Bill) Durham is Bing Professor in Human Biology (Emeritus), Bass University Fellow in Undergraduate Education, and a Senior Fellow (Emeritus) in the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford. He has been jointly appointed in Human Biology and Anthropology at Stanford since 1977, when he came from the Society of Fellows at the University of Michigan. Bill’s career has focused on two main themes: (1) putting principles of evolution to work in efforts to sustain the biological and cultural diversity of our world; and (2) identifying social dimensions of environmental problems in Latin America and working with local leaders to help solve them. He has carried out fieldwork in Peru, Brazil, and Ecuador (especially Galápagos) in South America, and in El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Costa Rica in Central America. In 1983, he was one of the first scholars to receive the MacArthur Prize Fellowship and has also received five awards for research and teaching at Stanford, including one by vote of the students. Bill’s recent book, Exuberant Life: An Evolutionary Approach to Conservation in Galápagos (Oxford University Press, 2021) was named a Finalist for the 2022 PROSE Award from the Association of American Publishers. Bill’s other publications include the books Scarcity and Survival in Central America (Stanford Press 1979; and in Spanish, by UCA Editores 1988), Coevolution: Genes, Culture, and Human Diversity (Stanford Press, 1991), The Social Causes of Environmental Destruction in Latin America (U. of Michigan Press, 1995, with M. Painter), Inbreeding, Incest and the Incest Taboo (Stanford Press 2004, with A. Wolf), and Ecotourism and Conservation in the Americas (CABI, 2008, with A. Stronza). In addition, he served as Editor in Chief for 16 volumes of the Annual Review of Anthropology between 1992 and 2008. Bill was Founding Co-Director of the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST), a research organization that views tourism as a means to promote local livelihoods and environmental conservation. Along with Stanford Professors Rodolfo Dirzo and Larry Crowder, Bill has been Co-director of the Osa-Golfito Initiative (INOGO) in the Woods Institute, working with Costa Ricans to develop a sustainability strategy for the southern region of the country. He has led more than 35 Stanford Alumni Association trips to Galápagos, Costa Rica, the Amazon, East Africa, and elsewhere. |
|---|---|
| Summary Part 1 | Part 1 [00:00:00-00:31:05] Growing up in northern Ohio • Parents’ occupations and influence • Outdoor adventures; discovering geology, brachiopod fossils, and prehistory • Memories of the Baldwin Wallace College library, the family’s encyclopedia, and gift of a copy of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species • Durham’s fossil collection • Cleveland Museum of Natural History [00:31:06-1:01:22] Joining science club in elementary school • Older brother Jim’s struggle with college calculus, his hobby of refurbishing cars, and decision to drop out of college to become a mechanic • Transferring to Western Reserve Academy for more rigorous academics • Applying to Ivy League schools • Parents’ decision to move to Oklahoma • Reorienting college aspirations to West Coast • Father’s admiration for tech prowess of Stanford graduates [1:01:23-1:30:43] A memorable visit to Stanford; admissions interview with John Bunnell • Mother’s background and influence • Brother Jim’s life journey • Renovating parents’ house and road trip to Alaska with Jim • Brother’s scientific interests and influence • Importance of storytelling to teaching • Role of fossils in sparking his interest in evolution [1:30:44-1:55:46] Memories of natural environment • Collecting and trading rocks and fossils • Coming to Stanford as a physics major and math minor; advisors Mary Sunseri and Harold Bacon • Meeting future wife Kathy Foote freshman year • Working odd jobs to get through Stanford • Transformative experiences at Stanford in France • Giving up physics major, taking BIO 10 from Stanford greats • Involvement in first Earth Day (1970); discovering the connections between environment and evolution |
| Summary Part 2 | Part 2 [00:00:00-00:31:21] Growing his hair longer in France; reaction of his family and community in Oklahoma • Mother’s disapproval of his major despite receiving Dinkelspiel Award • Participating in the Stanford Band; scatter formations • David Regenery’s class on evolution • Course the Biology of Deadly Quarrels; project documenting campus unrest, graffiti • Senior honors project on health effects of air pollution on students [00:31:21-1:00:08] Research on air pollution; engaging cooperation of student health centers • National Science Foundation grant with help from Donald Perkel and Donald Kennedy • Hum Bio Workshop providing student researchers for project • Processing data from the air pollution study • Advising NSF on student-originated studies • Office of Undergraduate Advising and Research [1:00:09-1:30:30] Being invited by Don Kennedy to provide a student perspective on the new Human Biology major • Memories of first Hum Bio class, taught by Colin Pittendrigh • Don Kennedy’s advice about graduate school • Funding for graduate school • Memories of graduate school at University of Michigan • Kathy’s research in Colombia; driving to Tegucigalpa; witnessing impact of El Salvador-Honduras war and poverty • Decision to look more deeply into the origins of the conflict, impact of land ownership, and causes of social inequality [1:30:31-1:54:10] Dissertation research proposal comparing El Salvador and Honduras; advisors Dan Janzen and John Vandermeer • Assembling an interdisciplinary dissertation committee including anthropologist Roy Rappaport, archaeologist Kent Flannery, geographer Bernard Nietschmann • Interest in why some Salvadorans denied their indigenous origins • Justifying research proposal before executive committee • Rackham Fellowship from the Society of Fellows; full funding for research • Kathy’s dissertation research on colonization on Peruvian rainforest • Decision to get married and plan for carrying out research • University of Michigan Department of Zoology and split |
| Summary Part 3 | Part 3 [00:00:00-00:30:39] Joining the Stanford faculty with a joint appointment in Human Biology and Anthropology • Finishing dissertation with help of the MIDAS computer system • Early days on the Stanford faculty • Publication of first book on El Salvador during outbreak of the Salvadoran civil war • Teaching HumBio core “A side”; teaming up with Arthur Wolf to debate biological and cultural explanations • Contributions to the Annual Review of Anthropology [00:30:40-1:00:08] Struggling as an assistant professor with the cost of housing; purchasing a home with faculty colleague John Rick and his wife, Rosa Mendoza • Impact of receiving both a MacArthur Fellowship and additional Stanford research funds • Publication of Coevolution and response • Impact of his time in El Salvador, witnessing the importance of power in the cultural system • Planned trip to Galápagos in graduate school that never happened; opportunity to visit Galápagos through Stanford Travel/Study • Teaching about Galápagos; story of growing sunflowers as a child in northern Ohio [01:00:09-1:31:33] Arriving in Galápagos to be shown a forest of giant daisies • Private jet trip for Travel/Study to Galápagos • Working on educational software program “Voyage to Galápagos” • Witnessing a real-life case of coevolution in Galápagos with overharvesting of sea cucumbers by poor Ecuadorian fishermen • Decision to write a book about Galápagos • Testing ideas with colleagues and guides at the Darwin Research station • Invitation from Max Planck Society to create a new institute in evolutionary anthropology; decision to stay at Stanford • Chance to edit Annual Review of Anthropology, succeeding Bernard Siegel, during a time when field was splintering [1:31:34-02:00:28] Chance meeting with former Anthropology student results in an endowed a chair and a research fund to support the scientific side of anthropology • Thoughts on how culture and genetics have authors and history • Integrating students into Travel/Study trips • Postdoc Amanda Stronza and a new research agenda on ecotourism • Hosting international conference on ecotourism in 2002 • Establishing a research institute on ecotourism (CREST, Center for Responsible Travel) with Martha Honey • Research with Professor Rodolfo Dirzo in the Osa region of Costa Rica • Stepping down as director of CREST • New research opportunity in Costa Rica through Peace Treaty with Nature; Woods Institute involvement with INOGO (Initiative on Osa and Golfito) • Banana versus bromeliad metaphor for ecotourism • Listening to diverse voices in San José and in Osa as part of research • Meeting with government of El Salvador to discuss INOGO process [02:00:29-02:30:01] Addition of marine biologist Professor Larry Crowder to Costa Rica research • Community concerns about “conservation” • “Caminos” ecotourism project • SELAL [Stanford Environmental Leadership and Language program]; SOMOS foundation • Writing Exuberant Life (2021) on the Galápagos • Reflections on ecotourism and the unique ecologies of Galápagos • Charles Darwin • Advising on screenplay about Darwin’s life • Working with Travel/Study to develop a “Voyage of the Beagle” trip by private jet • Reflecting on teaching, the importance of storytelling, and how lectures should have a storyline [02:30:02-02:50:59] Ending the Galápagos book with sea cucumber story • Wife Kathy • Editorship of the Annual Review of Anthropology coinciding with crumbling of four-field approach to Anthropology; efforts to hold field together during years of upheaval • Context of Stanford Anthropology Department split; thoughts on how administration reunified department without faculty consultation in 2007 and impact on scientific anthropology |
| Audio/Video |
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| Finding Aid | |
| Location | https://purl.stanford.edu/gh498sx1638 |
| Location | SC0932 |
| Repository | Stanford University. Libraries. Department of Special Collections and University Archives |
Access conditions
- Use and reproduction
- The materials are open for research use and may be used freely for non-commercial purposes with an attribution. For commercial permission requests, please contact the Stanford University Archives (universityarchives@stanford.edu).
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved.
Collection
Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program interviews, 1999-2022
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