AMES, Michael McClean. Vancouver 19.6.1933 — Vancouver 20.2.2006. Canadian Anthropologist of South Asia. Professor in Vancouver. Son of Ernest Ames and Elsie McClean, both of British origin. B.A. 1956 University of British Columbia, Ph.D. 1961 Harvard in Social Anthropology (under C. DuBois). In 1962–64 Assistant Professor at McMaster University. From 1964 teaching at University of British Columbia in Vancouver, from 1974-97 Director of its Museum of Anthropology. Emeritus. Married Elinor, one daughter and one son.
Ames has conducted research on healing rituals and social change in Sri Lankan Buddhism (1959-60, 1963), on family organization of industrial workers in Jamshedpur, Bihar (1968-69) and on overseas South Asians. In 1995 praticipated in joint project on development programme in Bhil tribal area of Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh.
Publications: Diss. Religious syncretism in Buddhist Ceylon. 1962.
– “Magical-Animism and Buddhism: A Structural Analysis of the Sinhalese Religious System”, Journal of Asian Studies 13, 1964, 21-52; other articles.
– Museums, the Public and Anthropology: A Study in the Anthropology of Anthropology. N.D.1986.
– Cannibal Tours and Glass Boxes: The Anthropology of Museums. Vancouver 1992.
– With I. Joy, “Conflict and Change in British Columbia Sikh Family Life”, B.C. Studies 20, 1973-74 15-49
.Sources: E. Whittaker, American Anthropologist 109, 2007, 189-192 with photo; Columbia Database Directory 1995; Who’s Who Tamil 1968; h-asia list 13.3.2006; not in Dir. of Am. Sch. 8th ed.; Wikipedia.
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