search expand

anthropology in the news

“When somebody’s rights are diminished, as anthropologist, I have to speak out”

Published on by lorenz Posted in anthropology (general), anthropology in the news, ethics, indigenous people / minorities, Native American, politics

Lawrence Journal World

It seems more the stuff of an action movie than an anthropology professor’s field work. But Kansas University professor Bart Dean found himself in the middle of a violent showdown between corrupt Peruvian officials and the indigenous Cocama-Cocamilla people.

Seven months later, Dean has become embroiled in a nationwide controversy in Peru and is working with a group of KU students to document the abuses on the Internet. “My general sense is that when somebody’s rights are diminished, mine are as well,” Dean said. “As a concerned citizen and as a professor of anthropology, I had to speak out.”

Earlier this week he and his students unveiled a preliminary version of an Internet site, www.cocama.org, that eventually will contain video footage, photos and other information about the attack and political problems in Peru. >> continue

UPDATE 1.8.05PS: Their website is no longer accessible

Lawrence Journal World

It seems more the stuff of an action movie than an anthropology professor's field work. But Kansas University professor Bart Dean found himself in the middle of a violent showdown between corrupt Peruvian officials and the indigenous Cocama-Cocamilla…

Read more

maxmod :: online among the gamemodders – a research-project in cyberanthropology

Published on by lorenz Posted in anthropology in the news, cyberanthropology, internet, technology

Alexander Knorr, xirdal.lmu.de (University of Munich, Germany)

‘Maxmod’ is an open-research-project in sociocultural anthropology. At its core stands long-lasting ‘thick participation’ in an online-community. The chosen community condensates around the shared interest in, and practice of modifying commercial computergame-software, particularly the game “Max Payne”.

The project’s first goal is to describe and understand the community’s social structure, the gamemodders’ cultural actions and artefacts, and most importantly, their explicit and tacit cultural knowledge. The virulent importance and meaning that transnational technoludic online-communities of practice have for globalization and related issues will become clear.

Thirdly the project aims to substantially contribute to a systematic basis for the advancement of sociocultural anthropology. The discipline has a lot to contribute to the understanding of the relation between human beings and cybernetic systems, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in particular. >> continue

(via mosaikum.org)

Alexander Knorr, xirdal.lmu.de (University of Munich, Germany)

'Maxmod' is an open-research-project in sociocultural anthropology. At its core stands long-lasting 'thick participation' in an online-community. The chosen community condensates around the shared interest in, and practice of modifying commercial computergame-software, particularly the…

Read more

Cultural values and the spreading of AIDS in Africa

Published on by lorenz Posted in Africa, anthropology in the news, culture traditions, gender, medical anthropology / ethnobothany

Christian Science Monitor

Awareness levels around the world are higher than they’ve ever been, but so is the pace at which the virus spread, according to the report. The real hurdle, say observers, is translating awareness into behavior change, and the effort often runs up against longstanding and strongly held cultural values.

African men who have become disempowered through a history of colonialism, racism, and poor economic prospects are unwilling to give up the power they hold over women, says Suzanne Leclerc-Madlala, head of anthropology at South Africa’s University of KwaZulu-Natal.

“I don’t think we’re putting enough emphasis on changing men’s behavior,” says Ms. Leclerc-Madlala. She says a key solution is for male African leaders – whether politicians, sports figures, or traditional rulers – to take a stand, admit publicly that men’s behavior is a problem, and urge men to change. >> continue

SEE ALSO
AIDS and Anthropology Research Group

Christian Science Monitor

Awareness levels around the world are higher than they've ever been, but so is the pace at which the virus spread, according to the report. The real hurdle, say observers, is translating awareness into behavior change, and the…

Read more

AnthroSource Update: For $120/year access to 29 journals, discounts available

Published on by lorenz Posted in anthropology (general), anthropology in the news, Open Access Anthropology and Knowledge Sharing

As reported earlier, AnthroSource, developed by the American Anthropological Association (AAA), brings 100 years of anthropological material online to scholars and the public. The only – and important – drawback: AnthroSource is not committed to the priciples of the Open Access Movement. Access to AnthroSource is restricted to (paying) AAA members.

On the other hand, the benefits for members are overwhelming. As I was reassured by AnthroSource, “by being a member of the AAA, you will gain access to the contents of 29 AAA periodicals from the first year they appeared, through 2003. You will also have access to the current content (from 2003 through the present) for 11 of these publications. Finally, you will have seamless access to all 6 AAA publications that are now available electronically only through JSTOR. Basic AAA membership for international members such as yourself will be $120 in 2005.”

In their FAQ, it is stated they will only charge $30 for citizens of International B countries (not specified). And: “For international users who are not members of AAA, we are considering pricing models to offer AnthroSource at reduced prices to a range of institutions and libraries”.

>> go to AnthroSource

EARLIER POSTS

AnthroSource – AAA announces new anthropology portal. Great, but…

AnthroSource – huge anthropological archive online – but useless for non-members

SEE ALSO

antropologi.info’s Special on Open Access Anthropology (Norwegian, English, German)

News from the open access movement

As reported earlier, AnthroSource, developed by the American Anthropological Association (AAA), brings 100 years of anthropological material online to scholars and the public. The only - and important - drawback: AnthroSource is not committed to the priciples of the Open…

Read more

Working Lives: Reflections of a (Commercial) Unbound Anthropologist

Published on by lorenz Posted in anthropology (general), anthropology in the news, applied anthropology, corporate & business anthropology

Ideas Bazaar

To a cold Stockholm, at the invitation of Ulf Hannerz, Professor of Anthropology at Stockholm university. Together with Mils Hills from the Cabinet Office, I was presenting to the department a few thoughts (1 MB ) on life after a PhD. In the afternoon we ran a workshop for a undergraduates focusing on the skills they have after a few years reading and doing anthropology. >> continue

>> go directly to the presentation: Working Lives: Reflections of a (Commercial)Unbound Anthropologist (pdf, 1MB )

Ideas Bazaar

To a cold Stockholm, at the invitation of Ulf Hannerz, Professor of Anthropology at Stockholm university. Together with Mils Hills from the Cabinet Office, I was presenting to the department a few thoughts (1 MB ) on life after…

Read more