Meanings of masks Meanings of masks Massachusetts Institute of Technology New ways to think about and practice protective masking, from faculty in the MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. In this series of commentaries inspired by an idea from associate professor of literature Sandy Alexandre, MIT faculty draw on their discipline expertise to offer … Read more
The new Anthropology Journal Ticker (beta): Get updated with recent open access journal articles! antropologi.info – anthropology in the n. How do you stay up to date with the most recent journal articles in anthropology? How do you navigate the growing amount of texts? How do you find something interesting? While most academics might have their … Read more
David Graeber: 1961-2020 Neuroanthropology Anthropologist, activist, and author David Graeber, author of some of the most popular and cutting recent works in our discipline, has passed away at 59 according to his widow, artist and writer Nika Dubrovsky. Some news outlets are saying that the causes are unknown; other suggest he had contracted COVID. David Graeber, Driving … Read more
Activist curators are sharpening the debate on restitution The Economist Activist curators are sharpening the debate on restitution The Economist What Milk-Sharing Communities Reveal SAPIENS by Naomi Lubick [no-caption] Getty Images Heather Wascak was devastated. In 2014, within days of giving birth to a baby girl, Lucia, she was aching to be with her child. “She’s almost 5 days … Read more
An Animated Introduction to the Pioneering Anthropologist Margaret Mead Open Culture by Colin Marshall Modern Western societies haven’t solved the problem of sex, but Samoa has the answer. Or at least it does according to the work of influential anthropologist Margaret Mead, subject of the animated introduction from Alain de Botton’s School of Life above. Her mentor Franz Boas, the … Read more
Introduction: Fieldwork in a Time of Coronavirus (new series) anthro{dendum} Anthrodendum welcomes guest blogger Josh Babcock. Ph.D. Candidate in Sociocultural and Linguistic Anthropology at the University of Chicago. His research examines the public co-construction of language and race in the making of a multimodal image of Singapore. Video conferencing and the limits of representability anthro{dendum} Anthrodendum welcomes guest blogger … Read more
The UNESCO Site That Never Was SAPIENS by Durrie Bouscaren The people of Hasankeyf, Turkey, have long enjoyed the nearby Tigris River, seen here in 2019. Recently, the creation of the Ilisu Dam has submerged their town. Burak Kara/Getty Images In some of Zeynep Ahunbay’s earliest memories of southeastern Turkey, birds fly high above the town of … Read more
VIDEO | An anthropologist explains how COVID-19 will change work forever Fast Company VIDEO | An anthropologist explains how COVID-19 will change work forever Fast Company Coronavirus and Coping With Death SAPIENS by Anna Goldfield While sheltering in place in California during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been spending a lot of time thinking about my graduation day—but … Read more
Why Social Distancing Feels So Strange – SAPIENS SAPIENS Why Social Distancing Feels So Strange Explaining the Emergence of Coronavirus Rituals SAPIENS by Dimitris Xygalatas People in Rome, Italy, go out on their balconies at a specific time to give one another a round of applause during the coronavirus lockdown. Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo This article was originally published … Read more
image source Members of the Media Anthropology shared some resources recently… EASA Media Anthropology Network e-seminars: http://www.media-anthropology.net/index.php/e-seminars Philipp Budka himself started to set up a list of selected resources, and he will appreciate any further suggestions via e-mail or comments: http://www.philbu.net/blog/digital-and-online-ethnography-a-selection-of-resources/ The Berghahn series on Anthropology of Media is yet another source for full … Read more
Argentine NGO documenting human rights violations nominated for Nobel Peace Prize Global Voices Online by Stephanie The team has conducted investigations in more than 60 countries A member of the EAAF working in exhumation. Photo shared publicly on Facebook. The Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF), a non-profit scientific NGO, was nominated for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its investigative … Read more
The Life and Meaning of Margaret Mead SAPIENS by Sam Dresser Anthropologist Margaret Mead immerses herself in the community on a field trip to Bali, Indonesia, in 1957. AP Photo This article was originally published at Aeon. In 1978, after 50 years at the pinnacle of American opinion, the anthropologist Margaret Mead died with a secure reputation and … Read more
Why Face Masks Are Going Viral SAPIENS by Gideon Lasco A discount market on Penang Island, Malaysia, displays a face mask on a mannequin. Surgical masksare unregulated and provide minimal protection from pathogens. Paul Keller/Flickr On the day the first case of the new coronavirus was confirmed in the Philippines, a surreal sight greeted me on the streets of … Read more
Climate Change Is an Anthropological Process Climate Change Is an Anthropological Process Science Market News Saving an indigenous language from extinction BBC News | Europe | World Edition The Sami are the only officially recognised indigenous people in the EU and some of their languages are on the brink of extinction. Why Targeting Heritage Is a Crime Against Humanity … Read more
Why Winter Solstice Celebrations Persist – SAPIENS SAPIENS At the ancient Maya-Toltec ceremonial complex of Chichén Itzá, tucked into the dense jungles of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, the El Castillo step pyramid rises from the center of a vast plaza. Flanked by open-mouthed stone serpents at its base, the pyramid—constructed in phases, possibly starting as early as … Read more