Anthropology + Science Journalism = A New Genre? w/ Daniel Salas of SAPIENS
Click here to check out the TAL + SM blog post This Anthro Life has teamed up with Savage Minds to bring you a special 5-part podcast and…
Tag: emotions
What Religious Beliefs Reveal About Post-Truth Politics
As part of a traditional ritual, elderly Bidayuh practitioners invite the rice spirit and other spirits to participate in the festivities at the sangar, or bamboo altar. Liana…
What Role Did Autism Play in Human Evolution?
The story of human origins is much more varied and complex than we often recognize. Biswarup Ganguly/Wikimedia Commons This article was originally published at The Conversation and has be…
Eating People Is Wrong—But It’s Also Widespread and Sacred
This 15th-century depiction of cannibalistic practices was inspired by Marco Polo’s writings about traveling through Asia. Bibliothèque Nationale/Wikimedia Commons This article was origin…
In a Genocide, Who Are the Morally Upright?
During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, more than 800,000 people were slaughtered over 100 days. Amid the chaos there were heroes—those who put their own lives on the line…
Do You See What I See?
Social scientists have long been fascinated by how people in different cultures perceive and describe color. Michelle Jones/SAPIENS In a Candoshi village in the heart of Peru, anthropolog…
How to Host an Extraterrestrial
Welcome. Come in, please. May I take your coat? If you don’t mind removing your shoes you can place them there. Would you like something to drink? Have…
A Journey to Experience: Tanzania-Kenya-Uganda
Door Ottla Lange In my first week of studying cultural Anthropology I had been told to write down everything I observe, when in a new or…
The Mysterious Power of Arrogance
In the community of Urapmin lives a man named Kinimnok—a boastful, loud, and often angry public figure—whose role in society may help us understand some Americans’ love of…
The Long Path to Enlightenment
A common Indian folk tale tells the story of a forest-dwelling hermit who had neither possessions nor troubles, except that a mouse was nibbling away at his loincloth.…
The Good Old Days
Every summer, festivalgoers gather throughout the American West to relax in the sunshine, smoke a little pot, and dance to the sweet, nostalgic sounds of bluegrass music. Bluegrass…
Minimalism Versus Simplicity
Last summer, I read Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, which inspired me to clean out my closet and organize my clothes. I admit to feeling…
The Sexual Allure of Simplicity
You have probably seen them at your local bar: the man with a beard, plaid shirt, and wool hat; the woman with an unbuttoned flannel over a T-shirt,…
Simplicity Is Essentially a State of Mind
Simplicity is an elastic term that can mean just about anything. Consider Andrew Carnegie, the steel magnate and robber baron who by the early 20th century was the…
How Our Contradictions Make Us Human and Inspire Creativity
The fissures created in our experiences between our principles and actions can be a source of profound creativity and reflection. Nicolas Nova/Flickr This article was originally published…
How Our Contradictions Make Us Human and Inspire Creativity
The fissures created in our experiences between our principles and actions can be a source of profound creativity and reflection. Nicolas Nova/Flickr This article was originally published…
On Kindness and What the World Needs Now w/ Hannah Brencher
Have you ever felt disconnected from your relationships and your life because of your reliance on your phone and social media? Do you ever feel nostalgia for the…
The Night I Was Attacked by a Ghost
Our dreams—and the ways we interpret them—are strongly influenced by the culture in which we are raised. But both can change when we travel to different places, such…
When Did Sex Become Fun?
There are multiple answers to the question of where we come from: early hominins, monkeys, primordial goo, or the Big Bang, to name a few. Today’s answer, though,…
The Perennial Power of Ritual
A rain dance won’t make water fall from the sky. Casting a spell won’t cure cancer. Tarot cards can’t really reveal the future. Yet rituals like these have…
What Can Vampire Bats Teach Us About Friendship?
How did human friendship evolve? Vampire bats offer a unique opportunity to study the phenomenon of friendship through observing their strong social bonds. Josh More/Flickr Gerald Carter …
The Paradox of Donald Trump’s Appeal
Offensive and bombastic rhetoric is key to Donald Trump’s campaign. Why are voters drawn to this taboo-violating candidate? Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Associated Press Donald Trump is the …
Faded Paint and Yellowed Photos: On, Image, Inspiration, and Memory with Javier Urcid
How does a camera and a deep sense of curiosity lead to a lifetime of archaeological research on ancient peoples, their symbols, art, and writing? Ryan and Aneil…
Exploring Boundaries: From Access to Female Sexworkers to the Question of Research
When designing a research project, a researcher’s initial plans are often interrupted by what data we actually can access. Whether negotiating political structures, cultural taboos, necessary permissi…