Diary for 9th August -15th August 2007: Courses Special

EVENING AND ADULT EDUCATION
COURSES SPECIAL:

With this week's news in the Times that a lady called Phylss Taylor has received a Masters in Anthropology at 94 (after doing her undergraduate degree at 70), it's clear that it's never too late to learn some anthropology! With this in mind I'm doing an evening/Saturday course special on anthropology this week and each day I'll be investigating a different course.

You might be surprised to find out that there are actually lots of anthropology courses available for people who don't want to study anthropology in a traditional university degree context, who just want to learn about it for pleasure rather than a qualification, or who want a little taste before committing to a degree. Most of these evening and Saturday courses start after the summer and are taking bookings now. This definitely isn't an exhaustive list, so if you are interested in a doing a little life-long learning than check out universities/colleges etc... near you to find out if they offer any anthropology-flavoured courses (on university web-pages they might be listed under the life-long learning or continuing education departments). Sometimes there is a minimum (not maximum!) age requirement so be carefully to check before you book.



THURSDAY 9TH AUGUST - The Battlefields of World War I

If you are looking for something to do immediately, this is your last chance to sneak onto a course being run next week in conjunction with Cambridge University called Excavating Memories. Combining archaeology and anthropology, over five days course members study the material culture of the Great War, including objects recovered from excavations of front line trenches. It is being held at the Institute of Continuing Education at Madingley Hall, which runs a variety of courses over the year, including several in social anthropology, that often include field trips. For more information, you can have a look at the brochure online, or contact the courses registrar on 01954 280399 or registration@cont-ed.cam.ac.uk.


FRIDAY 10TH AUGUST - Health, wealth and human remains at London's only specialist provider of evening Higher Education

For those of you looking to start something after the summer Birkbeck College in London, offers a wide range of evening courses in various aspects of anthropology. Their Certificates of Higher Education in Social Anthropology are divided into modules of 16 weeks each in length and you need to do a combination of modules to complete the certificate. Most course start around the beginning of October, and subjects range from basic theory to the Anthropology of Space, Architecture and Landscapes. The certificates are qualifications in their own right, but can also be used to gain entry onto degree programmes.

If forensic anthropology is more your thing, you might be interested in Birkbeck's new London Bodies Course, which teaches you how to analyse human remains every Wednesday night for 24 weeks, using the archaeological remains at the Museum of London. No prior knowledge is required!

Birkbeck has a university open evening on 6th September, or you can contact the anthropology department directly on 0207 631 6640 or by emailing socialstudies@fce.bbk.ac.uk





SATURDAY 11TH AUGUST - Short courses: studying in the City

If you want something a bit shorter, City Lit in London runs adult education sessions in the evenings or as one-off day events. They have four different anthropology options - A Taste of Anthropology is a one day introductory course, and the next one begins in December. Otherwise, they run the twelve week "Ways into Anthropology 1, 2 & 3", split into modules that cover cross-cultural comparison, fieldwork and religion and globalisation respectively. Ways into Anthropology 1 is the one to plump for as an introduction to the subject and the next one begins on the 17th September. You can enrol online here, or contact the humanities department for more information on 020 7492 2652 or email humanities@citylit.ac.uk


SUNDAY 12TH AUGUST - A Radical Anthropology evening class

Another London based evening class is run by the Radical Anthropology Group. Anthropology professor Chris Knight from University of East London, together with several visiting lecturers, runs the class called "A Human Revolution" which has a strong emphasis on Native American, African and Australian Aboriginal mythologies. The class is very sociable and members are invited to come a bit before the class to discuss anthropology over a hot vegetarian meal. It can be taken as a University Certificate or done just for fun. Last year it started in September and was run in a community centre in Camden, but this is subject to change so make sure you email for full details (contact details can be found on their website)


MONDAY 13TH AUGUST - Shamanic Sussex

Like most universities, the University of Sussex has a Centre of Continuing Education, and come October they are also running a few interesting anthropology courses. These include evening classes in shamanic consciousness (over eight weeks) or a broad overview of the discipline in 'Ways of Seeing'. You can enrol online here or by telephoning the CCE on 01273 678527. If you are interested in studying an anthropology degree full time at Sussex, the department is having an Open Day on 13th October.


TUESDAY 14TH AUGUST - Boogie down to Bristol.

Today I'm going to check out the short courses available in archaeology and anthropology as part of Bristol University's Lifelong Learning network. There's a whole host of different aspects of anthropology on offer, from religion to the environment to fieldwork methodology. Particularly interesting is the two day course (run over a couple of Saturdays) this October in Rhythm, Bodies and Culture, which looks at the meaning of dance in various different cultures. The course starts on 20th October, but places are booking up quickly already. You can download the enrolment form online, or for more information contact the course organiser, Sean Caveille, on 0117 9546070 or at s.caveille@bristol.ac.uk




WEDNESDAY 15TH AUGUST - Film & Identity at Goldsmiths

The final option I'm going to list this week is the Professional and Community Education (PACE) courses run by Goldsmiths College. Starting in October, there are two courses on offer - "Film & Anthropology", and "Space, Place & Identity" which explores issues of diaspora in the contemporary world. Both courses only require you to attend for two hours per week and run until the end of May. At Goldsmiths, you can also do a Foundation Certificate in Social Anthropology over a year, for which you need to attend two evenings a week, but you can progress onto a full time BA from this course if you are hooked. For more information, please contact Jenifer Mayo-Deman on 020 7919 7953 or at j.mayodeman@gold.ac.uk

Diary for 2nd August to 8th August 2007

THURSDAY 2ND AUGUST - Parallel worlds

Today I'm going to read an interesting article I spotted on the web last week about an anthropologist's research into Second Life, the online virtual world. The article includes an interview with an American anthropologist, Tom Boellstorff, who as part of his work is studying religious practices in Second Life. Apparently the virtual community of people attending mosques, churches and synagogues act very similarly to how they would in real life, but are beginning to form communities that would be impossible outside of the internet because of geographical distance. Technology is set to impact upon anthropology more and more as it develops, so this is a good introduction to a tricky subject.

FRIDAY 3RD AUGUST - We're all going on a summer holiday

On Friday I want to plan a trip a little further afield, to the Musee de l'Homme in Paris. L'Homme Expose is the first part of an ongoing exhibition investigating the history of man. It aims to show the history of those who have tried to describe and understand the nature of humanity over the past 700 years. Entrance to the exhibition is about five euros, and you can find out about Eurostar train times and prices here. While traveling over I might do a bit of background reading on a couple of the most famous French social scientists, Claude Levi-Strauss and Emile Durkheim.



SATURDAY 4TH AUGUST -Social systems in Cornwall

On Saturday I'm heading over to Tate St.Ives in Cornwall to have a look at their current exhibition 'Social Systems'. It's an interactive display where visitors are expected to become part of the artwork, as a 'social sculpture' in progress. So it's a good way of understanding how individuals, especially outsiders such as anthropologists, can and do influence a social system or event. You can view profiles of some of the artists involved here. The exhibition runs until 2nd September, and entrance is £5.75, or FREE if you're under 18.



SUNDAY 5TH AUGUST - Can white men jump?

Today, I'm going to spend some time browsing an online resource set up by a group of American Anthropologists about race, that asks the question, "Are we so different?". It is designed to make us think more carefully about race in the contemporary world, and the way in which meaning is assigned to how people look. The site contains articles, photographs, films and interactive exercises to explore these issues. A couple that look particularly interesting are the opportunity to understand what it is like to live as someone else, and a section on racial stereotypes in the world of sport, both part of the Lived Experience microsite.


MONDAY 6TH AUGUST - Triple Bill at Pocketvisions!

The latest installment in Pocketvisions' series of films this summer sees a hat-trick of documentaries on show tonight at the Roxy Bar & Screen. First up, at 19.00, is the short film 'The Midnight Man' which portrays carnival time in Brazil.

Then, straight afterwards is 'Garlic and Watermelons' about the controversial eviction of a group of gypsies in Athens prior to the city's hosting of the 2004 Olympics. Finally, in the new late-night 21.00 slot at Roxy, is 'Stella Polare' - an experimental film which uses fragmented images and words to reflect upon violent political action, war and terrorism. Sounds like a night not to be missed - entry, as usual, is FREE.


TUESDAY 7TH AUGUST -More dancing at the Horniman

For those of you who haven't yet got on down to the Horniman Museum for their summer sessions with the Nzinga Dance Ensemble, there's another great opportunity today with Afro Hiplife. It's an afternoon workshop for 13-19 year-olds where you will have the chance to try out various modern dance forms combined with African cultural dance. The workshop costs £5 and starts at 14.00 - to book you'll need to contact Nzinga Dance on 020 8314 5238. While down at the Horniman, the Musical Instruments Collection is also well worth a look, which has over 7,000 sound-producing objects from across the world, right through from ancient Egyptian bone clappers to electric guitars. Entrance to the collection is FREE.



WEDNESDAY 8TH AUGUST - Unplugged in Edinburgh

On Wednesday I'm hoping to soak up some of the Edinburgh Festival before going to check out David Batchelor's exhibition, Unplugged at the Talbot Rice Gallery. Occupying a large atrium space, the collection contains a variety of salvaged objects from London's East End and Scotland all of which have little or no financial worth, from plastic pegs to combs and toys. They are, however, all artefacts from people's lives, and can tell us a lot about the operation of a certain area of economic and, perhaps more importantly, social activity. The consumption of goods is an important area of anthropological study and has ranged from analysis of French middle class taste in fine art to the decoration of flats on a council estate -you can read an article about it here. The exhibition is open from 10.00 until 17.00 between Tuesday and Saturday, and admission is FREE.

Diary for 26th July to 1st August 2007

Thursday 26th July - The Unhappy Hour

Today I'm going to listen again to the discussion about 'The Art of Moaning' that featured on Radio 4's Women's Hour last week. Social anthropologist, Kate Fox (author of 'Watching the English'), was part of a discussion about why British people are so renowned for complaining, inspired by a Lancashire pub that has confined all moaning to a Sunday afternoon Unhappy Hour. You can listen to the locals whinge about everything from dominoes to bus journeys, and then hear Kate Fox's assessment of it all as a social ritual. Watch out though - perhaps in an effort to make us grumble that nothing's ever easy Radio 4 have mixed up the links, and to listen to the discussion you need to click on the link next to 'Endometriosis', not 'The Art of Moaning' - you can find it here.


Friday 27th July - Food and culture

Today sees the launch of the Whitecross Street Market Food Festival, as part of the 'New Crowned Hope' season at the Barbican that has been celebrating world cultures for the past month. The Festival aims to show how culture is 'rooted' in agriculture, which is also a growing area of research in anthropology - food can by symbolically, politically and economically important in people's lives. For example, you can now study for an MA in the Anthropology of Food at SOAS, and there are several books on the subject, such as the tasty-looking read, Food and Culture. The Festival opens (in the presence of Anthony Worrall-Thompson no less) at 13.15 on Friday and lasts from 10.00-17.00 each day of the weekend, and is free except for what you choose to eat.

Saturday 28th July - Music to change the world

I'm back down at the Barbican today for some dancing to work off all that fine food I enjoyed yesterday. Another part of the New Crowned Hope season, is the 'Another World is Possible' weekend of concerts, showcasing the exciting range of music that exists within refugee communities. Highlights include Emmanual Jal, from Sudan, who raps against the use of child soldiers and on Sunday at 14.30 a group from Congo, Kasai Masai. The events - all FREE - are being run in conjunction with the Refugee Council, an organisation that campaigns for greater understanding and respect of refugees and their cultures.



Sunday 29th July - Read all about it!

Last week an anthropologist, Melissa Leach, was profiled in The Guardian for her pioneering work as the newly appointed director of a research unit aiming to understand why the gap between the world's rich and poor is growing. She is a great example of how relevant anthropology can be in movements for social change, since her findings are used to inform and often overturn government policies. Her principle aim is always to bring the voice of local people to the fore, since they are naturally well-placed to work out local solutions and address local needs. You can read another article about her work here.



Monday 30th July - Exploring the City

On Monday I'm off to the Global Cities exhibition at the Tate Modern which explores 10 cities from across the globe in terms of their size, speed, diversity, density and form through photographs, writing and film. You can watch some of the films on the website - such as this look at immigration and segregation in the bustling metropolis that is Sao Paolo, Brazil. The exhibition runs until 27th August and entrance is FREE.

Then later that night, I'll be sitting down to watch the fascinating BBC observational documentary, The Tower, which charts the 'regeneration' of an estate in South East London and what this meant for its inhabitants old and new. You can watch a trailer here. Both the exhibition and the documentary explore issues that are central to the anthropology of cities, which studies the hugely complex societies that exist within the urban landscape.


Tuesday 31st July - World culture comes to Plymouth....and the web

Today I'm going to check out the ethnography collection at the Plymouth City Museum which contains over 3700 artefacts from all over the world. These include the walking boots of one Gertrude Benham, who spent 30 years travelling the world, and in the process collected around 700 objects which are now on display. Gertrude was the first woman to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, in 1909, and interestingly she used to swap her knitting for many of the items she collected along the way. Recently, they museum have also set a website as part of an initiative which includes comments on the objects from visitors to the collection - you can view it online here. The museum is open 10.00 to 17.30 from Tuesday to Friday and admission is FREE.


Wednesday 1st August - Talking Tools at the British Museum

Come Wednesday, I'm back down at the British Museum for Jill Cook's talk, Life on the edge: the last hunter-gatherers in Britain. It is linked to the episode of the BBC2 programme, The Museum, showing on Thursday nights at 19.30, which follows what happens when some of the museum's objects go out into the community. These range from an image of the Hindu Goddess Durga, to ancient board games, to an ancient handaxe. The talk begins at 13.15 in Room 51 and admission is FREE.

Diary for 19th July - 25th July 2007

Thursday 19th July - Reading the Signs

On Thursday I want to listen in to Colin McEwan’s short lunchtime talk - ‘Life, land and water in the Andes: Deciphering Nasca Iconography’ down at the British Museum. Colin, Head of the Museum’s American Section, recently appeared on the BBC series ‘ The Museum’ talking about his work and this should be a chance to learn more about his attempts to crack the ‘silent language’ of this South American people. The Nasca Lines are in Peru, and comprise a series of enormous etchings in the ground - mainly of animals - that can only truly be seen from the air and their meaning has been the subject for academic speculation for many years. The talk is in Room 24, begins at 13.00 and entrance is FREE.






Friday 20th July - Sightseeing in Leeds

Friday is the second day of the ‘Things that move: The material worlds of tourism and travel’ conference at the Leeds Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change. Anthropologists will be among the assembled panel of experts speaking at the conference, and will be discussing how everyday objects are given meaning and gain emotional connections when they travel, or come into contact with a tourist. The organisers have decided to hold the conference because tourism is such a rapidly expanding industry and it is a good example of a subject that is at the cutting edge of anthropology. You can read more about the theory of tourism on the Centre's weblog here. For more information on attending the conference itself, which is primarily for academics, you can email ctcc@leedsmet.ac.uk.

Saturday 21st July – Living on the Edge

Today I’m heading down to the awe-inspiring Eden Project in Cornwall for a look at their summer exhibition, Towards the Edge. It forms part of a major new building at the Eden Project aiming to document how people and civilisations have reacted to climate change in the past, and what we can learn from these experiences in the present day. There are a broad range of individuals and communities featured from across the world, including a collaboration with Survival International about the Kalahari Bushmen and the Enawene Nawe of the Brazilian rainforest, as examples of tribal peoples living in places with limited resources. There is also an UN-Habitat section that showcases photographs of women entrepreneurs from the slums from Mumbai, who will also be coming to Eden in August to give a workshop on how they make their handicrafts. You can even create your own artistic impression of an ‘Earthling’ at another interactive unit. Entrance to Eden is £14, or £7 for students and Towards the Edge is running all summer.

Sunday 22nd July – Get on down to Kpanlogo

On Sunday, there’s a dance event at the Horniman Musuem in South London that sounds tempting for all budding dancing anthropologists out there. As part of the Museum’s summer season of events and activities, the Ghanaian Dance Intensive Study Day has been organised to celebrate 50 years of Ghanaian independence. Starting at 11.00 in the Education Centre you can learn Kpanlogo – traditional drum and dance from the Ga Nation - for only £6. And if you’re not just a beginner (in any form of dance), in the afternoon there’s a chance to have a go at the spiritual Sohu dance, created to energise and guide a mythical lost & exhausted huntsman. The second session starts at 13.30 – same place, same price. To book either event, contact Nzinga Dance on 020 8314 5328, e-mail nzingadance@aol.com or post to PO Box 36992, London SE6 4WH.

Monday 23rd July –Death and radicalism at Pocketvisions

Tonight is the latest in the summer series of documentaries from Pocketvisions, when Starbuck Holger Meins will be screened. The film is a biography of Holger, a young anti-Vietnam activist and campaigner against big business, who died following a hunger strike in 1974. Directed by a friend of his, it attempts to understand how and why Holger Meins was driven to become so ‘radical’. The film is showing, as usual, at 20.00 in the Roxy Bar & Screen in Borough, and entrance is FREE.

Tuesday 24th July – The Proms Uzbekistan-style

I’m back down to the Horniman tonight to enjoy a spot of traditional music from Uzbekistan, which is being put on in the gardens of the Museum. It starts at 19.30 in the bandstand and entrance is free. To whet your appetite, you can read more information about the music of Uzbekistan here. I wonder if my newly-acquired Kpanlogo dancing skills will be useful…






Wednesday 25th July – Another Documentary Festival!

The annual Britdoc film festival starts today, hosted by Keble College, part of Oxford University. It runs for 3 days and its probably out of the price range of anyone not getting paid to be there! However, the good news is that every evening there are public screenings which you are free just to pitch up and attend. Films showing on tonight have not yet been announced, so keep checking the schedules, but anthropologically-inspired ’37 Uses for a Dead Sheep’ is showing on Thursday at 20.15. To find out more about the event as a whole and the people involved, you can check here.

Diary for 12th July to 18th July 2007

THURSDAY 12TH JULY - Last chance to go to Parliament

Today is your final opportunity to apply to attend anthropologist Dr Scarlett Epstein's film screening at Portcullis House that I mentioned last week. Back to the Village is a thought-provoking look at the dangerous emphasis in parts of India on economic growth at all costs - and what that means for the rural poor who migrate to the cities in search of financial improvement. There's a discussion afterwards and to enquire about attending, you need to email Dr Epstein at scarlett@epstein.net before the end of today,detailing your interest in the event, which starts at 17.00pm on 16th July.






FRIDAY 13TH JULY - A watery home

First up today, I'm going to watch Indian director Deepa Mehta's latest 'elemental' film, Water. It tells the story of a 7-year old girl who is widowed and therefore abandoned, according to tradition, at a prison-like hostel for other women who are no longer wanted by mainstream society. The film has caused controversy in India, when the first shoot of the film was attacked by Hindu fundamentalists, for its challenging look at this custom and the injustice it inflicts upon many young women. You can watch a trailer of the film online here, and it is showing in London at the Odeon Panton Street and also at the Phoenix Picturehouse in Oxford and the Harbour Lights Picturehouse in Southampton.


Then tonight there's another fascinating looking film showing at the British Museum as part of their Caribbean Film Season. No Place Like Home is the fictional account of a New Yorker who travels for work to Jamaica and the way in which she finds her life affected by the cultural difference she finds there. The film will be introduced by the late director's daughter, Justine Henzell, and touches on issues of globalisation, political corruption and interracial relationships. It is showing at 18.30 in the Stevenson Theatre and entry costs only £3.


SATURDAY 14TH JULY - Thawing out the Cold War

On Saturday I'm heading up to the Baltic in Gateshead, Newcastle again for its summer exhibition of the work of Serhiy Bratkov, the Ukrainian photographer. For the last twenty years, his work has looked to capture people caught in the transition generation between the old Soviet Union and the opening up of Eastern Europe to western-style market economies. He aims to offer many perspectives on the same subject and, similar to an anthropologist, is never happy with a single point of view. His work is showing until 2nd September and entrance to the Baltic is FREE.




SUNDAY 15TH JULY - Art on the Curry Mile

On Sunday, I'm heading over to an exhibition of sculptures at the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester that I've wanted to check out for a while. Subodh Gupta has used everyday objects used by South Asian communities to create monuments reflective at once of his Indian homeland but also the famous curry mile.

It is part of the Shisha project, which aims to overcome exoticising stereotypes of Asian artists that are not true to the realities of the Asian diaspora in Britain today. Gupta's work is accompanied by a complementary photographic exhibition at the Rusholme Job Centre by Rashid Rana that celebrates local heroes and the diversity of the local area. The Whitworth is open from 14.00 until 17.00 on Sundays and entrance is FREE. Then it's time for a Chicken Jalfrezi methinks...



MONDAY 16TH JULY - How do you push yours?

A chance to watch some anthropology-of-sorts in action today. Current TV is a new factual film channel set up by Al Gore to try and foster more diverse voices on television. They recently had a launch contest and one of the runners-up was 'Pushit', a film that takes an in-depth look at the gender differences in how the residents of Cambridge push their bikes around. It features some intrepid fieldwork by the film-maker, as well as insightful analysis from a lecturer in social anthropology at Cambridge university, Dr Matei Candea. The film will be on Current's satellite channel in a few weeks time, but you can still watch it on the web at the moment. If you have any ideas for a mini-ethnography film why not try uploading your own version and spread the word about the joys of anthropology!




TUESDAY 17TH JULY - Mixing it up musically

On Tuesday I'm hoping to attend one of the concerts being put on at the Southbank Centre as part of the World London season. It is a series of collaborative music events showcasing the cultural and linguistic diversity of the capital. Tonight sees an Irish folk band, Kila, link up with Oki, from North Japan's folk scene, and they will be performing songs in a mixture of Irish, Japanese and English. The event starts at 19.45, costs £15 (50% off for students) and you can book online here.


WEDNESDAY 18TH JULY - Friendship in the Amazon

Today I'm going to listen again to Radio 4's Thinking Allowed from last week which featured Peruvian anthropologist Fernando Granero. He was talking about his new study of friendship amongst the Yanesha people from the Amazonas region in Peru. Interestingly, Dr Granero explains how friendship amongst the Yanesha is much more similar to western relationships that anthropologists have previously thought. He argues that friendships are not just formed through formal social situations such as ritual - that anthropologists frequently emphasise - but also in everyday, human situations that are often passed over.

Diary for 5th July - 11th July 2007

THURSDAY 5TH JULY - A dose of anthropology a day keeps the doctor away

Today I’m going to the hugely varied exhibition – Medicine Man - that’s just opened in Euston. It is part of The Wellcome Collection - a massive assortment of the artefacts gathered by Henry Wellcome over his lifetime. They range from diagnostic dolls to Japanese sex aids, and from Napoleon's toothbrush to George III's hair! The idea of the displays is to show the different ways the same objects are used across cultures, as well to make you rethink our own accepted understandings of health and the body. The exhibition is open every day until 18.00 except Monday and entry is FREE.





FRIDAY 6TH JULY - Love is in the air

Tonight I'm going to try something a little different, and attend one of Allure Seminars Flirting & Walking Tours - which promise the chance to spend two hours sampling London's flirting 'hotspots'. I'm not sure quite what to expect, but the tour leader, Jean Smith, says she runs the courses from the perspective of a cultural anthropologist, and is fascinated by the different ways people communicate their love. The tour takes place from 18.45, meeting just inside the foyer of the National Portrait Gallery. It costs £20 and you can book online - places are limited to ensure limited to ensure your beating heart gets enough attention. You can also view a short introductory film here.



SATURDAY 7TH JULY - Filming Brick Lane

On Saturday the plan is to check out a photography and video installation currently being held at The Atrium Café, in the Social Sciences Building at City University in London. It is part of the Celebrating Enterprise project being put on to promote and study business amongst ethnic communist in London. Incorporated in the exhibition is Ricardo Leizaola’s observational documentary filming of the Carnaval del Pueblo and Brick Lane Festivals. Ricardo has just completed his PhD on 'folkbotanical' knowledge in Venezuela and also teaches technical skills to budding anthropological film-makers on the MA in Visual Anthropology at Goldsmiths University. It is open daily and entry is FREE.

SUNDAY 8TH JULY - Morris dancing with a stiff upper lip

Come Sunday, I hope to spend several hours at the British Film Institute accessing their new Mediatheque resource, where you can delve into the labyrinth of films and television programmes about anything and everything that’s just been opened. The films can be divided into categories, so for example if you’re interested in what it means to be British there is a collection of programmes that explore cultural stereotypes such as the ‘stiff upper lip’ or ‘saucy seaside postcard humour’. The Mediatheque is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11.00 to 20.00 and it’s all FREE.

MONDAY 9TH JULY - Different stories to tell at the London Anthropology Day

Today is the long-awaited London Anthropology Day at the British Museum which offers the opportunity for A-Level students from across the country to spend a day learning about the enormous variety on offer on anthropology degree courses. Places have all been taken up for this year’s event, but there’s plenty of information on the website and you can always think about attending future university open days which I’ll try to mention on the blog, or think about getting in touch with Gem Jones, education officer at the RAI on education@rai.org.uk if you have any questions.


Then tonight is another Pocketvisions screening at the Roxy Bar and Screen. ‘Un’altra storia’, or ‘A Different Story’, follows the 2006 election campaigns of two candidates wanting to become governor of Sicily. One, Rita Borsellino, is a long-time anti-mafia activist who stood against Salvatore ‘Toto’ Cuffaro – then the governor of the island. The film headlined the first ever London International Documentary Festival (LIDF) at the British Museum last March and does what documentary film, and anthropology, does best – uses personal stories to illustrate larger themes such as power and government.


TUESDAY 10TH JULY - Land and human rights in South Africa

On Tuesday I’m going to tune into last week’s episode of Thinking Allowed on Radio 4. The topic up for discussion was land reform in South Africa, and the success the post-apartheid ANC government have had in redistributing land to the rural, black poor. Anthropologist Dr Deborah James from LSE has recently published a book - Gaining Ground?: ‘Rights’ and ‘property’ in South African Land Reform - on the subject, and the legal battles between existing farmers and new claimants that have meant not much land reform has actually occurred. It’s an interesting example of how ethnographic work can reveal the gaps behind political rhetoric


WEDNESDAY 11TH JULY - Fascinating film screening in the Houses of Parliament on development issues in India - book your free place now!

Next week on the 16th July, there is a screening of the film ‘Back to the Village’ made with eminent anthropologist Dr Scarlett Epstein. I’m mentioning it today because it’s being shown at Portcullis Houses in the Houses of Parliament and for security reasons it’s necessary to get in touch with the organiser as soon as possible if you would like to attend. The film is about the massive migration in South India from rural to urban areas, followed by a discussion on the issues raised. You can read the full synopsis as a Google Document here. The event will be chaired by Mark Goldring, Chief Executive of VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas). Dr Epstein has spent her life working in applied anthropology, offering advice to many development organisations worldwide. You can find out more about her here, and her autobiography, Swimming Upstream, is also well worth a read. To enquire about attending, you need to email Dr Epstein at scarlett@epstein.net before the 12th July,detailing your interest in the event, which starts at 17.00pm on the 16th July.