Wisdom Without a Country
In the oasis of his studio, Constantin Brâncuși revolutionized sculpture by drawing out the “being that is within matter”—the cosmic essence or spirit that exists underneath the surface.…
Tag: politics
The Refugee in Anthropological Perspective
Over the past decade, we have witnessed new and ongoing crises around the world that have forced many people to uproot their lives in order to seek refuge…
Reconsidering How We Honor Those Lost to War
Cities in the southern U.S. are currently under pressure to take down statues of Confederate leaders, whose publicly sanctioned presence is a constant source of injury to many.…
Do Americans suddenly like Obamacare? Contextualizing opinion polls and media narratives by Jessica Mulligan
“Repeal and replace” has been the rallying cry for opponents of the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare), the signature domestic policy of the Obama administration that expanded…
Tweeting religion in Indonesia: when political arenas go viral
Postill, J. and L.C. Epafras forthcoming 2017. Tweeting religion in Indonesia: when political arenas go viral. American Ethnologist (virtual issue) The popularity of social media in Indonesia, combi…
God or Geology? The Genesis of Ram’s Bridge
An army of monkey warriors helps construct a bridge from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka, as depicted in the Ramayana. Dinodia Photos/Alamy Stock Photo This…
‘Ungoverned Spaces’?
by Magnus Marsden **Previously published at Hurst’s blog.** In the aftermath of the terrorist attack on Manchester, the term ‘ungoverned spaces’ has returned to the forefront of public debate ab…
Materiality and politics in Latin America.
Via Ricardo Andres Labra Mocarquer Symposium in Santiago, Chile. November. The way “things” are analyzed in the contemporary world had changed, from antiquarians to different approaches…
Patrick Neveling: “Vote like humans”: Elections in a posthuman political economy
This post is part of a feature on the 2017 UK elections, moderated and edited by Patrick Neveling (SOAS, University of London). As I left Bournemouth train station…
Michael Jennings: UK Election 2017 manifestos and international development: Common ground and clear water
This post is part of a feature on the 2017 UK elections, moderated and edited by Patrick Neveling (University of Bern). With the election coming up today, I…
John Gledhill: It’s Corbyn’s critics who need the history lesson
This post is part of a feature on the 2017 UK elections, moderated and edited by Patrick Neveling (University of Bern). In his very carefully argued speech of…
Alan Bradshaw: On the prospect of a Tory majority!
This post is part of a feature on the 2017 UK elections, moderated and edited by Patrick Neveling (University of Bern). As an Irishman living in England, I…
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…
Collusion @collusion #collusion #foreigninterference
Important to read Dan Glazebrook and Sukant Chandan as they take apart the British ‘foreign policy’ machinations that help no-one here or there: https://danglazebrook.com/ https://danglaze…
Inside Kashmir—A Heroic Fight for Justice
Over the last three decades, India’s occupation of a large portion of Kashmir has brought political strife, widespread oppression, and violence. David Williams/SAPIENS On a hot sunny day…
Teaching Resource: Social Inequality and Teaching in the Academy
As anthropologists, we frequently teach about power dynamics and social inequality in our classrooms. Especially in the context of efforts to decolonize anthropology, many of us reflect on…
Teaching Resource: Social Inequality and Teaching in the Academy
As anthropologists, we frequently teach about power dynamics and social inequality in our classrooms. Especially in the context of efforts to decolonize anthropology, many of us reflect on…
Islamophobia is Racism Syllabus
Adding to the impressive list of open access teaching resources, the Islamophobia is Racism Syllabus provides texts for “Teaching & Learning about anti-Muslim Racism in the United States.” The…
Islamophobia is Racism Syllabus
Adding to the impressive list of open access teaching resources, the Islamophobia is Racism Syllabus provides texts for “Teaching & Learning about anti-Muslim Racism in the United States.” The…
Surveilling Trump: A Call to Action
Donald Trump speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Gage Skidmore. Trump Watch For better or worse,…
Web Roundup: Marching for Science, which is what, exactly? by Lily Shapiro
Many of you may have marched (or chosen not to march) at last week’s March for Science. I marched with my partner and young son here in Coimbatore,…
Gunnersbury Bagh. (Kill your darlings 10)
[A set of cuts that jettison the last underworked section of the book – residue of a previous plan, now offcuts in the sawdust.] Ethnography as a hobby or…
Method and Politics in the Dee Estuary
I am leading a research group at the moment called SLOM:Lab (Social life of Methods Lab). This is a blog post I wrote for the SLOM:Lab.org website last …
Trump’s Slogan: More About the “Make” Than the “Great”
The famous catchphrase of the Trump campaign subtly taps into the United States’ spirit of making. But what does it actually mean? Alex Milan Tracy/Associated Press President Donald…