Bill Epstein

{{Short description|British social anthropologist}}

{{About|the social anthropologist|the Canadian civil servant|William Epstein}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

Arnold Leonard Epstein, known as Bill Epstein (13 September 1924, Liverpool – 9 November 1999, Hove), was a British social anthropologist. A member of the "Manchester School", he was known for his research on ethnicity and identity, particularly his book Ethos and Identity (1978), and for his ethnographic work in Central Africa and New Britain. He was a professor at the Australian National University (1958–1972) and Sussex University (1972–1982), as well as the vice president of the Royal Anthropological Institute (1982–1984). He was married to T. Scarlett Epstein and had two daughters.{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-professor-a-l-epstein-1127117.html|title=Obituary: Professor A. L. Epstein|last=Rew|first=Alan|date=1999-11-19|work=The Independent|access-date=2017-11-05|language=en-GB}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2000/feb/11/guardianobituaries3|title=Bill Epstein|last=Campbell|first=John|date=2000-02-11|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-11-05|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite journal|last=Young|first=Michael W.|date=2000|title=A.L. ('Bill') Epstein|journal=The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology|volume=1|issue=1|pages=119–129|doi=10.1080/14442210010001705880|s2cid=142667074|issn=1444-2213}}