Michael Freedman, an associate professor of anthropology at Syracuse University, died late Thursday night at his home in Syracuse, according to an e-mail from department chair Christopher DeCorse.

Freedman, 68, began teaching at SU in 1967. He was diagnosed with lung cancer last December, colleagues said. He had planned to go on sabbatical next semester – his first in 41 years.

He was teaching a case studies course on cultural diversity and a political anthropology class this semester. Other anthropology professors took over his classes when he had to leave the university four weeks ago, said Deborah Pellow, a professor of anthropology at SU.

‘Michael was all about teaching,’ Pellow said. ‘I sat in on classes of his, and he was a wonderful lecturer. He had one of the best minds of anybody I knew, and at the same time was very approachable.’

Pellow met Freedman in February 1978, when she arrived in Syracuse for her interview to teach in the anthropology department. When she moved to Syracuse in August, her home wasn’t ready for her to move in yet. She ended up living with Freedman and his family for a month.

‘Whenever I drive by that house, I still think of it as home,’ Pellow said. ‘Michael was warm and caring, and just really just all-embracing. I don’t know what it’s going to be like without him here.’

Professors remembered his common saying that anthropology had to be accessible to the average person. ‘How do you make it filmable?’ was what he asked his students. He meant that anthropology had to make people see a culture – how its people lived, ate, worked and spent their time.

John Burdick, a professor of anthropology, said Freedman’s ‘filmable’ concept has stuck with the anthropology department.

‘He always said that whenever we found ourselves talking about other cultures in these abstract terms, we were making a mistake,’ Burdick said. ‘He was able to establish a tradition at SU of teaching students what it feels like and smells like and tastes like to be in other cultures.’

Freedman received his doctorate from the University of Michigan in 1967, shortly before coming to SU, Burdick said. The two met 16 years ago when Burdick joined the department. Freedman invited the new professor, his wife and then 1-year-old son to his home, so their families could meet.

‘I would have lunch with him once a month, and he kept always wanting to come back to talking about his grandchildren,’ Burdick said.

He was a large contributor to a project focusing on children’s health, and was concerned about the differential access to health care by class and race, Burdick said.

‘His absence is going to be felt intensely, more than many people know,’ Burdick said. ‘He was a sage presence, and we’ve lost a voice of reason and sanity and balance. We’re going to be feeling that for a long time to come.’

A private service was held Sunday, and a campus memorial service will be planned for January.

Kevin Quinn and Kevin Morrow, university spokesmen, did not return calls for comment.

shmelike@syr.edu

Published on November 16, 2008 at 12:00 pm