Research papers of Pat Caplan relating to fieldwork in Tanzania

We are pleased to announce the addition of a remarkable new collection to SOAS Special Collections: the Research papers of Pat Caplan documenting her fieldwork in Tanzania. Tracing decades of inquiry and exploration, this archive reveals the depth of Professor Caplan’s anthropological research and her enduring engagement with communities in Tanzania. 

A lifelong journey in anthropology 

Pat Caplan began her academic journey at SOAS in 1960, studying African Studies (Swahili Branch). Her early interest in East Africa was cemented during a 1962 field trip to Kilwa Kisiwani, where she assisted archaeologist Neville Chittick. This formative experience laid the foundation for a distinguished career in anthropology. 

After completing her BA, Pat pursued an MA in Social Anthropology (1965) and a PhD (1968), both at SOAS. Her doctoral research took her to Mafia Island, Tanzania, where she began a long-term engagement with local communities that would span over 45 years. Her work explored themes such as kinship, land tenure, spirit possession, gender relations, food security, tourism, and modernity. 

Over the course of her distinguished career, Pat Caplan held academic appointments at Birkbeck College, the Open University, and Goldsmiths, University of London, where she played a pivotal role as a founding member of the Anthropology Department. Her leadership extended beyond the classroom—between 1998 and 2000, she served as Director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the School of Advanced Study, University of London, further shaping the field of postcolonial and global studies. Pat retired as a Professor at Goldsmiths in 2003 but remained active as an anthropologist and was appointed Emeritus Professor. 

About the collection 

The papers include: 

• Fieldnotes, transcripts, and translations from research in Mafia Island and Dar es Salaam.
• Correspondence related to her academic and fieldwork activities.
• Photographs, slides, and negatives documenting her travels and research environments.
• Materials related to her consultancy on the BBC documentary Face Values (1978).

The collection offers invaluable insights into the lived experiences of communities in East Africa as well as the evolution of anthropological practice over the second half of the 20th century. 

Explore the collection 

The Caplan Papers are now available for consultation at the SOAS Special Collections Reading Room. Researchers, students, and anyone interested in anthropology, African and South Asian studies, or the history of fieldwork are warmly invited to explore this remarkable archive. 

For more information or to arrange a visit, please contact special.collections@soas.ac.uk.