search expand

Thesis: Participant observation on a Rastafari discussion forum on the internet

Norwegian anthropologist Christian Stokke has published his thesis “Unlearning White Superiority. Consciousness-raising on an online Rastafari Reasoning Forum” in full length. From his introduction:

The ensuing interracial dialogues on racism are the main focus of my thesis. Most whites define racism as prejudice and discrimination, and suggest good intentions and “colorblindness” as a solution, while Blacks define it in terms of group dominance, structural inequality and cultural hegemony. Black Rastas point out that whites tend to show dominating behavior in the discussions, and see this as a reflection of a “white superiority complex.” Black Rastas consistently confront whites and hold them responsible for their conduct, although it is usually unintended and unconscious. Through this confrontation, many whites become aware of their taken-for-granted ‘white privilege’ and start “unlearning white superiority.”

>> download the thesis (pdf, 788kb)

Norwegian anthropologist Christian Stokke has published his thesis "Unlearning White Superiority. Consciousness-raising on an online Rastafari Reasoning Forum" in full length. From his introduction:

The ensuing interracial dialogues on racism are the main focus of my thesis. Most whites define racism…

Read more

The BBC sponsors African blogs

Ethan Zuckerman, Global Voices

The BBC has a long tradition of encouraging readers and listeners of their Africa service to talk about their views of the continent. BBC is going a step further, looking for people with interesting stories to tell, arming them with digital cameras and encouraging them to get posting. >> continue to Global Voices (many links to recommended blogs!)

>> go directly to BBCs “My Africa – Africa Diaries”

Ethan Zuckerman, Global Voices

The BBC has a long tradition of encouraging readers and listeners of their Africa service to talk about their views of the continent. BBC is going a step further, looking for people with interesting stories to tell,…

Read more

How Media and Digital Technology Empower Indigenous Survival

(via Putting People First) Worldchanging has “tracked projects that use new technologies to empower indigenous cultural survival — from digital applications using Inuktitut, the Inuit native language, to the Aboriginal Mapping Project, which harnesses the power of GIS to help indigenous peoples manage their lands and resources, to the networked reindeer tracking of Saami Networked Connectivity Project”. Additionally, they point to the latest volume of Cultural Survival Quarterly. It is devoted to Indigenous Peoples Bridging the Digital Divide. Much to read! >> continue to Worldchanging

PS: Worldchanging is a blog devoted to “Models, Tools, and Ideas for Building a Bright Green Future” and Dina Mehta (Conversations with Dina) is one of the contributers

SEE ALSO:

Women in Cameroon:Information technology as a way out of the cultural cul-de-sac

Modern technology revives traditional languages

Internet and development in India

(via Putting People First) Worldchanging has "tracked projects that use new technologies to empower indigenous cultural survival -- from digital applications using Inuktitut, the Inuit native language, to the Aboriginal Mapping Project, which harnesses the power of GIS to help…

Read more

Ethnomusicologist uses website as an extension of the book

(via Fieldnotes): Ethnomusicologist Aaron Fox has set up a website and blog as an “extension of the book”: “I’m not going to republish the book on the site, but the book deals so much with sound that I had to make it possible for people to hear the music”, he explains and adds: “I also really wanted to be able to interact with readers — as we are doing now! Seems to me this is just the most under-used capacity of the web as an adjunct to traditional publishing. It’s not like academic books sell in the tens of thousands, so it seems perfectly reasonable and possible to enter into a real dialogue with serious readers.”

Anthropologist Tad McIlwraith on Fieldnotes comments: “I think about this in the context of my work with First Nations people and wonder if I could convince them to allow their actual voices to be found in files on my website. I think my work would be enhanced if they’d agree to that.”

Aaron Fox’ book is called Real County: Music and Language in Working Class Culture and is according to Tad McIlwraith “a fantastic ethnography”.

(via Fieldnotes): Ethnomusicologist Aaron Fox has set up a website and blog as an "extension of the book": "I'm not going to republish the book on the site, but the book deals so much with sound that I had to…

Read more

Introduction to Indigenous Peoples and How can blogging help my research?

Savage Minds has recently pointed to the blog by the Anthropology librarian Cynthia Tysick, University at Buffalo, New York. She seems to be surfing alot and lists a lot of useful links. Some of her recent entries are Introduction to Indigenous Peoples and How can blogging help my research?

Savage Minds has recently pointed to the blog by the Anthropology librarian Cynthia Tysick, University at Buffalo, New York. She seems to be surfing alot and lists a lot of useful links. Some of her recent entries are Introduction to…

Read more