Voila Mes Amis!

DISCOVER ANTHROPOLOGY WEBSITE IS NOW LIVE!

It has taken over two years to develop, and countless hours generating ideas, registering feedback and collecting stories.. but it is finally here: the RAI's Discover Anthropology website!


The website is aimed at anyone interested in anthropology and who wants to get involved either by studying the subject, attending events and activities, joining online networks, teaching, or creating artwork and music related to anthropology.

The website includes seven main sections: About Anthropology, Career Paths, Study & Experience, Resources, Events, Your Space and For Teachers.



There is information on social and biological anthropology as well as a growing number of specialist areas such as medical anthropology, environmental anthropology, anthropology of development and economic anthropology.

Readers can find out about anthropological fieldwork and take a look at photos of anthropologists 'in action' all over the world!









There are career profiles and information on anthropologists working in sectors ranging from academic research to tourism.

For students who are thinking of taking a year off, or want to do some short courses there is information on gap years, distance learning programmes, and continuing education courses.

Find out what students think about studying anthropology by visiting out student voices page.







For people who like to be creative, our Your Space section promotes public engagement of anthropology through poetry, art, music and dialogue. If you have anything you would like to submit to this section please email Nafisa Fera, the RAI's Education Officer at education@therai.org.uk











The RAI is open to any suggestions, comments or feedback on the website. Have a look, share your thoughts, and spread the word!

Anthropologist about town will be back to its' usual format next week.

A bientot!

January Freezes for February's Present!

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope that everyone had some great food, good laughs and time to relax over the holidays. I know that everyone has been waiting patiently for the blog to go up in January, but I am afraid I am going to have to ask you to wait until the end of this month. This is because I have been working overtime putting the finishing touches on a very BIG NEW YEAR's PRESENT for all of you!

You will be able to unwrap the present in approximately 18 days!

The countdown begins..

I hope you enjoy it!
Lucy.

XMAS AND NEW YEARS BREAK !

Dear readers,

Lucy is taking off to the see the Big Apple, eat the best bagels in the world, and do some crowd surfing.

She hopes that you have an amazing Xmas and New Years (if you celebrate it) and enjoy yourselves as much as possible!

The blog will be back up from January 6th 2010

Bon Voyage and see you in the New Year!

Diary for 10th December to 16th December 2009

LUCY SPECIAL: Final Results for the RAI's International Anthropology Cartoon Contest!

In July 2009, the Royal Anthropological Institute's Education Outreach Programme launched an International Anthropology Cartoon Contest. The aims of the contest were to promote creative public engagement with the discipline, and to provide an opportunity for people with a passion for anthropology to share their work and take an active involvement in RAI's educational outreach activities and publications.

The contest encouraged cartoons which explored anthropological topics and ideas in a comical, original, and engaging way. Participants were encouraged to 'think outside the box' and be creative in how they explored the subject.

The contest was very well received with entries from all over the world including India, Brazil, Italy, UK, Canada, United States and Malawi.




A panel of 6 judges were appointed to assess the submissions:






Nafisa Fera, Project Organiser (Education Officer at the RAI)

Susanne Hammacher (Film Officer at the RAI)

Maureen Bloom (Assistant Reviews Editor for the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute)

Melanie Knetsch (Science in Society Communications and Information Directorate, ESRC)

Dr. Stephanie Bunn (Anthropology Lecturer at the University of St. Andrews)

Dr. Ben Burt (Curator for the Department of Africa, Oceania, Americas at the British Museum)

The panel of judges were thoroughly impressed by the high quality, and number of very interesting contributions to the contest. There were so many excellent entries they had difficulty in deciding the finalists!


Here are the results of the contest:

1st Place:

Mark Stanford for his submission ' A primatologist amongst the anthropologists'




Tied at 2nd Place:

Laura Jane Foldesi for her submission 'Lost in Translation'

Jordan Reck for his submission 'Hard Science'



Tied at 3rd Place:

Igor Cherstich for his submission 'Anthropology: dialogue with the other'

David King for his submission 'The Globalised Shaman'

The following list of names and submissions are ones which the panel thought deserved to be published even though they have not received an award.

Britany Babel for her submission: 'The Greatest Inventors in Human History'

Sheyma Buali for both submissions: 'Humanette: finding the comfort zone' and 'Humanette buying a ghutra'

Peter Eckmann for his submission 'Research Project'

Matteo Farinella for his submission: 'Anthropological Walk'

Rory McGrath for his submission: 'Ethnographic Reflexivity'

Elizabeth Marks for her submission: 'Homework'

Nemer Narchi for his submission: 'Overcoming the Hunter-Gatherer'

John Tillson for both submissions: 'Building Ivory Towers' and 'The Ascension of Man'

Eugenia Tsao for both submissions: 'Situated Epistemologies' and 'Ours'

Monika Weissensteiner is awarded special recognition for her excellence in graphic art for her two submissions Body Politics and the Human Body.

Unfortunately submissions which are not listed above, were not short-listed to be published.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE CARTOONS ON THE RAI'S FLICKR GALLERY!

A big thank you again to everyone who participated. Hope you enjoy reading them and please feel free to add your comments/feedback!

Diary for 3rd December to 9th December 2009

THURSDAY 3rd December- London Film Festivals

Today marks the last day of two London film festivals: the African Film Festival and the German Film Festival. To mark the finale of African films in a digital age, two final screenings, are being shown in Cine Lumiere and Richmix Cinema at 6:30pm . The Lost , is a drama which takes place in Morocco, about a gifted lute player who after being kidnapped, becomes sold as a slave to a wealthy musician. For the best and for the onion, is a documentary about the Galmi purple, an onion from Niger which pervades West African markets. For more information on the festival and ticket prices take a look here. The 12th annual festival of German films is taking place at the Curzon in Soho. The films today touch upon subjects such as home and identity, the complexities of love, and historical civil rights uprisings. Take a look at the festival programme for further details. Tickets vary in prices (the cheapest being the matinee screenings).


FRIDAY 4th December- Transvangarde: Leading Contemporary Artists

Today I am heading to the October Gallery to see an exhibition of work from selected artists around the world which aims to celebrate trans cultural avant-garde art. In the front gallery is a major new metal sculpture by artists El Anatsui, entitled 'In the World, But Don't Know the World?' Mr. Anatsui has produced the wall sculpture from tens of thousands of liquor bottle-tops to create a piece which strives to show the interconnection between free flowing thought and the creating of meaning and humanity's universal strive for progress. Transvangarde also includes work from prominent artists such as Rachid Koraichi, Xuang Xu, Kenji Yoshida and more. Click here for further information.



SATURDAY 5th December - Fabulous Fibres

Running until the 9th of January at the Haslemere Museum in Surrey is an ethnobotanical exhibition celebrating material objects from around the world made from 26 plant species. The exhibition is run in partnership with the Economic Botany Collection at Kew Gardens, and marks the recognition of 2009 as being the International Year of Natural Fibres and the 250th anniversary of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 'Many of the objects in the exhibition date back to the 19th century and document indigenous cultures that are threatened or have disappeared'. Admission is free.




SUNDAY 6th December- Horse People

Today I am going to reserve a place for the British Museum's Centre of Anthropology's Reviewer meets Reviewed Seminar Series taking place at 10am on Thursday December 10th. In collaboration with the RAI, this seminar brings together anthropologist Dr. Rebecca Cassidy author of Horse People: Thoroughbred Culture in Lexington and Newmarket, and Dr. Margaret Tayler who reviewed the ethnography for the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. Admission is free but spaces are limited. To reserve your space, email SMarianski@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk



MONDAY 7th December- Suomen Anthropologi

For all of you aspiring writers of anthropological thought, the Journal of the Finnish Anthropological Society is a quarterly peer-reviewed journal which invites interested authors from anthropology and social science disciplines. The journal aims to 'offer an interface between scholarship in 'small countries' and mainstream English-language academia, with special attention being given to the work of non-native English speakers'. For more information on the journal and how to submit work take a look here.



TUESDAY 8th December - Christmas Festive Fair

Tonight at the Museum of London starting at 5:30pm is a free Christmas Festive Fair. There will be live music by the Zigurat Steel Band and the She'Koyokh Kelzma band, along with free workshops where participants will be able to make funky badges, gift bags, and origami gift tags. There will also be local artist stalls with textiles, glass works and ceramics. For more information visit the museum's website.



WEDNESDAY 9th December- El Western Patagonico

Today I am heading to Birkbeck Cinema at 12:00pm to watch a film directed by anthropologist Dr. Gaston Correno, entitled: El Western Patagonico: la imagen del indigena norteamericano en la imagen selknam' . The film analyses how Native North Americans, were depicted in genre of 'American Westerns' and the way in which similar ideas, and cinematographic elements have been Incorporated into the way contemporary fiction films portray indigenous peoples from South America. Admission is free, everyone welcome.

Diary for 26th November to 2nd December

THURSDAY 26th November -Looking into Mexico

Today I am heading to the British Museum's Stevenson Lecture Theatre for two film screenings which form part of the programme of events associated with the current 'Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler' exhibition. The first film, Indigenous Democracy, (directed by Bruce Pacho Lane) examines the indigenous rights revolution sweeping Mexico through the municipal elections in Heuhuetla, Puebla, and the personal effects it has on the Totonacs. The second film, Tiempo De Vals, (directed by Rebecca Savage) is an intimate portrayal of one community's reflection on the Quinceanera (a birthday celebration for 15 year-old girls). Women from the community of Tlaxcala, share their reactions to the celebration in the context of massive social changes that have taken place in Mexico over the past 40 years. Both films form part of the RAI's ethnographic film collection. If you are unable to make the screenings but would like to see the films, get in touch with the RAI's film officer at: film@therai.org.uk The screenings are free, but booking is advised. Click here to reserve your place.


FRIDAY 27th November- Beginning the Celebrations for Christmas

The Pitt Rivers Museum and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History are starting Christmas festivities early this year. Today from 6:00-8:30pm both museums will hold a free Community Christmas Programme filled with activities such as storytelling, traditional Zimbabwean Shona Mbira music, lantern processions, marching bands, and a host of stalls where you can buy fairtrade jewelry, gifts, and books as well as getting %10 off all museum shop merchandise. Everyone welcome.





SATURDAY 28th November- Open Call for Ethnographic Films

If you are a budding visual anthropologist and film maker, Goldsmiths Anthropology Society has put out a call for ethnographic films for their International Student Ethnographic Film Festival (ISEFF) which will be held from the 2nd-5th March 2010. This year's festival theme is Social Interventions: Examining the Potential for Anthropological Advocacy. For more information, submission forms and guidelines take a look at the ISEFF website. The deadline for submissions is January 15th 2010.






SUNDAY 29th November- Seeing is Believing

Today I am heading to the British Library for a second visit to their new free exhibition entitled 'Points of View: Capturing the 19th century in photographs'. This is a fantastic exhibit for anyone interested in visual anthropology and the power of photography as a medium of communication and power. Focusing primarily on the United Kingdom, the exhibition looks at the development of photography in the 19th century and it's use to reflect and to shape society in science, government, industry and art. An underlying question throughout the exhibition is 'Who was taking the photograph and why?' . You can take a look at some of the exhibition online, read reviews, and book yourself onto a group tour through this website.




MONDAY 30th November- Archaeological fieldwork opportunities

If you are interested in Balkan culture and are looking to gain experience in archaeological fieldwork, the Balkan Heritage Field School provides various projects in Bulgaria and Macedonia for anthropology students. The projects range from 2-3 weeks and participants can choose projects working on documentation and restoration of ancient Greek pottery, monastery excavations, and fresco hunting photo expeditions. The projects aim to study, protect, restore and promote the cultural heritage of South Eastern Europe. The field school's website provides a lot of information, video clips, photo galleries and more on each project.



TUESDAY 1st December- Darwin's work: use and abuse

The Manchester Museum Cafe Society hosts talks and debates where people can engage with the latest topics in science, culture and the arts, over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. Tonight from 6-8pm the talk is on how Darwin's scientific research was 'used and abused' by many to support political agendas. The talk forms part of Manchester Museum's Evolutionist programme which various exhibitions, talks, activities and events on Darwin's ongoing legacy. The talk is free, but booking is advised. To book your place phone 0161 275 2648.




WEDNESDAY 2nd December- Regenerating Thamesmead

How do communities, change, shift or regenerate a certain area? Chocolate Films in association with London Metropolitan Archives, have created a documentary exploring the social history and community life of Thamesmead, a suburb of London. The documentary highlights residents reactions, stories and memories in reference to archival films. A Gala screening of the documentary will be held at Greenwhich Picturehouse on Saturday 5th December. Submission is free, but spaces are limited. To reserve your place email: info@chocolatefilms.com

Special Announcement: First Anthropology A-level Launched in Britain

A new GCE AS and A2 qualification in anthropology has been accredited by Ofqual, and will be available for teaching in Britain from September 2010. The A-level has been developed by the Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI) in partnership with AQA, and will be offered and assessed by AQA.







The development of the A-level: A little bit of history...

The A-level Anthropology is the product of over 4 years of intensive work by the RAI's Education Committee, which is composed of university-based academic anthropologists and experienced A-level teachers. The project has received national support from university department of anthropology throughout the UK; and has been funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) under its Science in Society programme.


Why launch an Anthropology A-level?

" Anthropology is an inherently fascinating subject and has a natural place alongside cognate disciplines as a key part of a contemporary liberal education. Yet up to now, it has been almost absent from pre-university curricula in the UK. The new GCE fills this gap. It is intellectually challenging, and will demand much of students. Those taking it, whether or not they go on to study anthropology at university, will gain an understanding of human life in society, and of diverse ways of seeing the world, that will serve them well as the globally educated citizens of the future" Hilary Callan, Director of the RAI



What is special about the A-level?

Currently a handful of schools in Britain teach anthropology as part of their International Baccalaureate Programme. What distinguishes the A-level curriculum from the IB curriculum, is that the IB focuses on social/cultural anthropology, whereas the A-level has a broader scope, encompassing both social/cultural anthropology and biological anthropology. Students explore themes such as 'Being human', 'Global and local processes' and 'Practicing anthropology'. One of the distinguishing features of the A-level, is that students taking the subject at A2 level, will conduct a small scale investigation on a topic of their choice in order to gain a taste of real ethnographic research.


Who will be teaching the subject?

Many anthropologists who have gone into teaching, can be found teaching subjects such as Sociology, Citizenship, Biology or Religious Studies. The RAI's Education Outreach Programme and AQA have formed a community network of teachers and anthropology graduates who are interested in teaching the A-level. In order to teach the A-level, you will have to have a PGCE preferably in a related social science subject. If you are interested in joining the teachers network, get in touch with the RAI's Education Officer, Nafisa Fera, at education@therai.org.uk


When will teaching start?

The teaching of the A-level will start in September 2010.


What about teaching/learning materials?

Alongside printed material, the RAI's Education Outreach programme is launching a dedicated website called Discover Anthropology, which will be made available shortly. The website will provide teaching/learning resources and will serve as a communication platform for teachers interested in teaching the GCE or introducing anthropological material into their teaching generally.



For further information:

Visit: www.therai.org.uk or www.aqa.org.uk . Alternatively, contact AQA at: anthropology@aqa.org.uk or the RAI's Education Officer at education@therai.org.uk