Ebola: Public Safety Issue or Cultural Violation?
Locals observe foreign health officials burying an Ebola victim. WHO Guidelines for Ebola Burials The 2014 Ebola Outbreak claimed about 11,000 lives …
Human Sacrifice in Maya Culture
Death is already an uncomfortable topic to talk about, let alone the idea of human sacrifices. From the pre-Columbian era, human sacrifices …
Reincarnation in Hinduism
The Western definition of death is known as “the irreversible cessation of all vital functions especially as indicated by permanent stoppage of …
Tibetan Sky Burials
Sky burials (or celestial burials, as they are also called) are the burial rites of choice for the Tibetans. After a member …
Seppuku – Honorable Suicide
A staged version of the Japanese ritual suicide known as Seppuku or Hara-Kiri, circa 1885. The warrior in white plunges a knife …
Hallowe’en & Racism
LSPIRG’s (Wilfred Laurier University) I am Not a Costume campaign Boo! Hallowe’en is a rich holiday for anthropologists to dig into for …
Hallowe’en & Racism
LSPIRG’s (Wilfred Laurier University) I am Not a Costume campaign Boo! Hallowe’en is a rich holiday for anthropologists to dig into for …
Spirit-Monsters and the Curse of the Chicago Cubs
Superstition is a funny thing. As an anthropologist, I’m not terribly superstitious. I try to be a scientist, after all. But science …
Acknowledging Indigenous Territory at Universities
Every year in recent memory, the opening of the annual Canadian Anthropology Society (CASCA) conference begins with an acknowledgement that the meetings …
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 …
Do the Olympics Make Economic Sense?
The 2016 Rio Olympics cost an estimated $11.46 billion. Most would say the Olympics don’t make financial sense. So why do countries …
Rio’s Olympic Festival in the Streets
In the 1980s, anthropologist John J. MacAloon argued that the real power of the Olympic Games lies in the unscripted, celebratory street …
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 …
Did Women and Children Exist in Prehistory?
Stone tools, like Acheulean hand axes, remain well-preserved for eons because they are stones first, tools second. Fired ceramics remain well-preserved for …
The Emergence of “Divorce Before Consummation” as a Legal Category in Jordanian Sharia Courts #fictions
Today’s inquiry into the nature of legal fictions takes us to Jordan’s government-run Sharia courts, where the concept of “divorce before consummation” …
Joe Trapido: Epochs and continents: Potlatch, articulation, and violence in the Congo
This post is part of the Modes of Production feature moderated and edited by Patrick Neveling and Joe Trapido. From the sixteenth …
Pet Funerals
Pets can easily become part of your family at home. When they die, it can hit us a much as a person’s …
How creating your own ritual can bring surprisingly deep meaning
New Year’s Eve of 2007 was grim. My husband and I hosted a party of battered friends, most of whom were under …
Comfort in Contact, Solace in Sharing
In New York City, a photographer named Brandon has made a career of photographing people in the streets, recording their story, and …
Niccolo de’ Conti (and others) on the Lontar Palm
Yesterday I put up a post about Niccolo de' Conti, one of the more interesting Europeans to visit Indonesia …
Routines of everyday life
It is a classic observation of anthropologists that we seek to document the everyday activities of people within various cultural contexts in …
→The Anxious Anthropologist: culture, health and everyday life
#REVIEW: Rice Talks: Food and Community in a Vietnamese Town
In his book Rice Talks: Food and Community in a Vietnamese Town, anthropologist Nir Avieli brings to light the importance of understanding …
Foaming at the Mouth: World Cup, Ritual and Behaviour Change
Shared feelings and heavily ritualised behaviour commonly define football fans around the world. For decades anthropologists and sociologists have documented beautifully these …
Clifford Geertz: la cultura como texto
1. Cultura Clifford Geertz concluye “Juego profundo: notas sobre la riña de gallos en Bali”, publicado por primera vez en 1972 en …