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Interview with Benedict Anderson: "I like nationalism’s utopian elements"

Published on December 15, 2005 by lorenz Posted in anthropology in the news, globalisation, persons and theories, Us and Them

I recently interviewed Benedict Anderson. He wrote one of the most read books on nationalism, “Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism”. I was surprised over Andersons positive views on nationalism. He thinks that nationalism can be an attractive ideology because it makes you feel that you’re member of a society:

“You follow the laws because they are your laws – not always, because you perhaps cheat on your tax forms, but normally you do. Nationalism encourages good behaviour. (…) I am probably the only one writing about nationalism who doesn’t think it ugly. I actually think that nationalism can be an attractive ideology. I like its Utopian elements.”

Anderson is quite critical towards recent theories of globalisation and modernity. Despite all the talk of transnationalism and fluid identities, he stressed, nationalism is in the best of health. Newer examples of nationalism are the long-distance nationalisms of migrants: Jews in the USA fighting for a state in the Middle East, or Tamils in Norway working for their own state in Sri Lanka. Some of the most ardent Sikh nationalist are situated in Australia and Canada – thanks to the Internet and cheap airline tickets.

One thing that fascinates Benedict Anderson is how nationalism evolves along with other developments in society. Right now nationalism “clashes” with the Internet and mobile technologies. Previously it “clashed” with the women’s movement.

>> read the whole interview (Link updated with copy. I also published a copy at https://www.lorenzk.com/english/2005/benedict-anderson-interview/)

Why cellular life in Japan is so different – Interview with anthropologist Mizuko Ito

Published on November 10, 2005 by lorenz Posted in anthropology (general), anthropology in the news, books, persons and theories, technology

Technology Review interviews anthropologist Mizuko Ito. Ito has studied the use of mobile phones for six years and is editor of a new book “Personal, Portable, Pedestrian: Mobile Phones in Japanese Life”. Cell phones are used differently depending partly on the way the technology is rolled out, and partly on the culture of each country. She became interested in studying mobile culture partly because mobile technology use in Japan was being driven by young girls:

It’s fairly unusual that teenage girls are seen as technology innovators, so it was a really attractive case for me for a lot of reasons.

In the interview she argues for a kind of culture relativism regarding technological development. You can’t really say the United States should feel that they are “behind” Japan when it comes to cell phone technology, because their technology trajectory has been completely different.

>> read the whole interview

SEE ALSO:

Mizuku Ito’s website

Studying Keitai (or ‘Mobile Phones’ in Japanese) (SavageMinds on Ito’s book)

How Mobile Phones Conquered Japan (Wired News)

More Reviews of Mizuko Ito’s book “Personal, Portable, Pedestrian”

Technologies of the Childhood Imagination- new text by anthropologist Mizuko Ito

Technology Review interviews anthropologist Mizuko Ito. Ito has studied the use of mobile phones for six years and is editor of a new book "Personal, Portable, Pedestrian: Mobile Phones in Japanese Life". Cell phones are used differently depending partly on…

Collaborative Ethnography: Luke Eric Lassiter Receives Margaret Mead Anthropology Award

Published on October 29, 2005 by lorenz Posted in anthropology in the news, applied anthropology, development empowerment, fieldwork / methods, persons and theories

Anthropology professor Luke Eric Lassiter has received the 2005 Margaret Mead Award from the American Anthropological Association and the Society for Applied Anthropology. The Margaret Mead Award celebrates the tradition of bringing anthropology to bear on wider social and cultural issues. Lassiter received the award in part for his book, The Other Side of Middletown: Exploring Muncie’s African American Community as well as for his explorations of race relations and collaborative, community-based research and writing, according to Huntington News.

On his website, Lassiter explains the concept of Collaborative Ethnography. In his opinion, Collaboratice Ethnography is “among the most powerful ways to advance a more relevant and public scholarship”. Collaborative Ethnography, he explains,

(…) seeks to make collaboration an explicit and deliberate part of not only fieldwork but also part of the writing process itself. Community collaborators thus become a central part of the construction of ethnographic texts — which shifts their role from “informants” (who merely inform the knowledge on which ethnographies are based) to “consultants” (who co-interpret culture and its representation along with the ethnographer).

(…)

Such an approach also shifts the role of ethnographers: they are no longer the sole authorities on culture, but facilitators who use their skills to address community-centered questions and issues.

Lessiter has published extensively on this subject. Five articles on collaborative ethnography and public anthropology are available as pdf-documents on his website.

Some new ethnographies (Book reviews)

Published on October 17, 2005 by lorenz Posted in anthropology (general), anthropology in the news, Asia, books, Caribbean, gender, Northern America, persons and theories, religion cosmology

The Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology has published several new book reviews on its website:

Marc Augé: Oblivion
The French anthropologist breaks new ground introducing the theme of Oblivion (Les formes de l’oubli) – a challenging reflection on memory and forgetting. Through rites, oblivion also structures the relationship between past, present, and future. >> whole review

Denise Brennan: What’s Love Got to Do With It? Transnational Desires and Sex Tourism in the Dominican Republic
In this well-written and compelling ethnography, Denise Brennan examines the “sexscape” of Sosúa, a Dominican Republic beach town. As an ethnography of a tourist “sexscape”, the book makes its substantial contribution to studies of transnationalism >> whole review

Aisha Khan: Callaloo Nation: Metaphors of Race and Religious Identity among South Asians in Trinidad
We read some wonderfully complex family histories (pp. 78-83) showing that neighborhoods, families, and even households, are often comprised of Hindus, Muslims, and even various sorts of Christians, all “living good together.” This is hardy ethnography: finely grained descriptions of the quotidian analyzed with sophisticated theory. >> whole review

Richard Daly, Our Box was Full: An Ethnography for the Delgamuukw Plaintiffs
At the core of the issue is identity and pre-eminence in regards to First Nations self-governance and land. Also, the argument that Daly puts forth regarding the need for this ethnography and its effect in the Canadian courtroom situates the dilemma of being an anthropologist (i.e. someone on the other side) and serving as an “expert” witness for the plaintiffs. >> whole review

>> overview over all reviews

The Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology has published several new book reviews on its website:

Marc Augé: Oblivion
The French anthropologist breaks new ground introducing the theme of Oblivion (Les formes de l’oubli) – a challenging reflection on memory and forgetting.…

News on Graeber: Fired anarchist anthropologist appeals decision

Published on September 8, 2005 by lorenz Posted in anthropology in the news, persons and theories, politics, University / Academia

Yale anthropologist David Graeber has been recently fired for his anarchist activism. For a long time, there were no news, and the Graeber solidarity blog hasn’t been updated either. Now, Yale Daily News writes that Graeber has formally appealed the decision amid suspicion the denial was based on his political views.

According to Yale policy, Graeber is allowed to remain at Yale for one year to allow time for him to find another job. And this semester, the location of Graeber ‘s lecture course had to be moved to accommodate an unexpectedly high enrollment of about 80 students, Graeber said.

>> read the whole story

SEE ALSO:

While the blog is dead, the Solidarity with David Graeber-Webpage has lots of information

Review of Graeber’s book: Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology / download the whole book

Yale anthropologist David Graeber has been recently fired for his anarchist activism. For a long time, there were no news, and the Graeber solidarity blog hasn't been updated either. Now, Yale Daily News writes that Graeber has formally appealed the…