The sacred cow and the constitution of India

Frederic J. Simoons (1922–2022), born to World War I immigrant parents in Philadelphia and raised in poverty in Newark, NJ, emerged as a distinguished cultural geographer. His European heritage and upbringing in an ethnically diverse neighborhood shaped his early understanding of culture. Simoons pursued graduate studies in Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and later transferred to Harvard’s Social Relations program, where he was inspired to return to Geography under Derwent S. Whittlesey’s influence.

Guided by Carl Ortwin Sauer at Berkeley, Simoons adopted a historicist approach, merging cultural anthropology and geography. His pioneering work ranged from bovine rituals in India to global food habits. His seminal book, Eat Not This Flesh (1961), explored animal-food avoidances, while his research on lactose tolerance advanced the “culture-historical” hypothesis. Later works, including Food in China (1991) and Plants of Life, Plants of Death (1998), showcased his interdisciplinary genius. Simoons remains a towering figure in cultural geography and food studies.