Rubin, Vera (1911–1985)

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Rubin, Vera (1911–1985)

American cultural anthropologist. Name variations: Vera Dourmashkin Rubin. Born Vera Dourmashkin, Aug 6, 1911, in Moscow, Russia; came to US at age 1; died 1985; dau. of Jennie Frankel Dourmashkin (died 1911) and Elias Dourmashkin (journalist); graduate of New York University in French literature, 1930; Columbia University, PhD, 1952; m. Samuel Rubin (businessman); children: Cora and Reed Rubin.

Studied with Ruth Benedict, Margaret Mead and Julian Steward at Columbia University; founded Research Institute for the Study of Man (RISM, 1955), of which she served as director for 30 years; developed anthropological study of English-speaking Caribbean; helped to make fieldwork by women possible through RISM scholarships.