Michael Garfield Smith's Theory Of Social Structure In The Caribbean

A Jamaican poet and anthropologists Michael Garfield Smith is one of the most prolific Caribbean thinkers of the post-war era and is perhaps best remembered for his controversial study of social structure in the Caribbean. A social anthropologist of very considerable repute, M. G. Smith left behind a plethora of formidable research and publications in the areas of anthropological theory, social theory and methodology which he studied in the Caribbean and West African context. His attempts to test his hypothesis within a constant methodology has indeed made him the most formidable authority on the biracial creole societies in the Caribbean (Best, 1989). In addition to being a published poet, he was an amateur boxer, and his theory of plural society still enjoys a field of reference and relevance in understanding biracial creole societies worldwide. Highly respected within the discipline of Social Anthropology, his

His selection to study English literature was by no means surprising considering his love for poetry, and neither was his withdrawal from it. Hall (1997) in his book A Man Divided; Michael Garfield Smith — Jamaican Poet and Anthropologist recounts that the winter weather and the repetition of the work he had learnt in sixth form did not propel Garfield to continue his studies which subsequently saw him joining the military. He was a good soldier, however his mind was never quite with it, which was quite apparent in his preference to share that most of his time was used up at the bottom of a foxhole writing poetry, whenever he was asked to recount his war stories. It was through remarks like these that, Burnham (1993) argues gave onlookers a rare preview of the other aspects of M.G. Smith’s complex life at the time– amateur boxer, published poet, opera buff - which generally remained concealed beneath a serious professional