Diary for 7th February to 13th February 2008

THURSDAY 7TH FEBRUARY - Don't forget to remember

This afternoon I'm going along to the screening of 'A City without memory' that is being held by Pocketvisions at The British Museum. It is about the city of Messina, in Sicily, which was largely destroyed in 1908 by a massive earthquake. As a result, it is often said that the city has no memory. Anthropologists have frequently explored how and why memory (and forgetting) are important in the creation of cultural beliefs and practices - for example you can study it as part of your anthropology degree at Sussex University. (You may also be intersted in a blog about cultural memory that you can find online here.) The film should be a fascinating real-life example of the social importance of memory - it begins at 16.00 in the Stevenson Theatre, entrance is FREE, and it is followed by a Q&A with Dr Eleanor Chiari, who teaches on the MA in Cultural Memory at The Institute for Germanic and Romance Studies.


FRIDAY 8TH FEBRUARY - Skyscraper anthropology

The other week I spotted an article in The Financial Times that attempted an anthropological analysis of the big investment banks, and what sort of 'culture' existed within their buildings. Written by an ex-anthropology student, it talked about how some organisations included different tribe-like factions, whilst others had a much more cohesive make-up. Today, I thought I would investigate a little further how anthropology and business mix - nowadays many companies employ anthropologists to help their business - see this article for more information, or listen to this archived Radio 4 'Shop Talk' programme. It may well be a career path that you're not aware of so makes for interesting listening...whether it is what anthropologists should be doing is at the heart of the debate....


SATURDAY 9TH FEBRUARY - Indian music comes to town

On Saturday I'm off down to the Horniman Museum in South London to check out their new exhibition 'Utsavam: music from India' which includes sounds, film, instruments and objects from the four main language groups of the country. There are also a series of events running alongside the collection for the next 2 months ranging from traditional kathakali dance performances, to Gatka sword dancing! You can also watch a filmic introduction to the exhibition here. Utsavam runs until the end of March and entrance is FREE.





SUNDAY 10TH FEBRUARY - Selling like hot (rock) cakes

Today I am going to make sure I book a sought-after ticket for an talk being given next week by the writer Jay Griffiths. She will be discussing her latest book 'Wild: An elemental journey' which describes the periods of her life she has spent living amongst indigenous peoples - and how their relationship with nature affects their cultures and identity. She also argues that an awareness of the 'wild' is essential to our well-being as human beings, and the talk itself is partly to raise awareness of the fight to keep industrial developers away from the indigenous Dampier rock art site in Australia. The event is being held at the Royal Geographical Society on the 19th February and begins at 19.00 - you can book online here, or over the phone on 0207 730 5344. What is more, tickets are exclusively £10 to readers of Anthropologist About Town - so mention this when you book, and you're pretty much a VIP...




MONDAY 11TH FEBRUARY - Shopping for film

On Monday I'm heading down to the Riverside Studios, on the shores of the Thames, to catch the drama-documentary 'Tina goes Shopping'. It tells the story of a Leeds lady who shoplifts to order for the residents of her housing estate, and is part of a series of films that tread the boundary between fiction and documentary, many of which are studied on visual anthropology courses. The director, Penny Woolcock, has often said she is inspired in her work by anthropology, as you can read in the Forman lecture she gave in 2004 to the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology in Manchester. The film starts at 19.00 and admission costs £6.50 for students.


TUESDAY 12TH FEBRUARY - Stories from Iraq

This afternoon, I'm going along to a seminar being held by the Centre for Life History Research at the University of Sussex that is looking at the life stories of some of Iraq's women and their sense of identity and memory. It is being held in collaboration with the everyday anthropology organisation Massobs, and will be led by Dr Nadje Al-Ali, from the Centre for Gender Studies at SOAS. She has recently published a book, 'Iraqi Women: Untold Stories', and bases a lot of her research in social athropology. The seminar lasts from 12.30 until 1.55pm, in the Pevensey Building 1 2A2; for more information, you can email the Life History Centre staff on s.j.carroll@sussex.ac.uk or m.jolly@sussex.ac.uk.




WEDNESDAY 13TH FEBRUARY - Exploring Tibet

On Wednesday I'm going to the Pitt-Rivers Museum in Oxford to listen to a lecture about the 'material, visual and virtual world of Tibet', entitled The Tibet Album. It's being given by Clare Harris, who specialises in the visual culture of the area, and has launched the 'Tibet Album' project, which provides an online record of how the Tibetan people have been photographed over the years, and also how they have been recorded by British visitors in particular. The lecture is being held in the new extension to the building and begins at 18.15 - there are drinks available from 17.45 and entrance is a voluntary donation of £2.

Diary for 31st January to 6th February 2008

THURSDAY 31ST JANUARY - Collecting your thoughts

To kick off the week, I'm attending a conference being held at the British Museum all about 'Extreme Collecting' - and the ethical, social and political decisions that people working in museums have to make. For example, should museums continue to collect objects from other cultures or countries? There are a series of workshops over the course of the day - under the heading 'Ethnography of the Ordinary', including one by Robert Opie which explores whether everyday packaging is 'trash or treasure'. Details of all the workshop are available on the website, and admission to the sessions is FREE, though it is limited - you need to contact extremecollecting@yahoo.co.uk to confirm attendance.


FRIDAY 1ST FEBRUARY - Give me a clue

Ever wondered exactly what ethnic endogamy is, or what exactly it is that a nomad gets up to? Perhaps not, but for all those nagging anthropological questions a good place to do some initial research could be the online Dictionary of Anthropology. It has biographies of anthropologists themselves, the topics they study and also breaks down some of the theoretical terms you might come across. At the moment, it's a growing resource, but does provide links to further articles on the subjects it covers, so is definitely worth a look around, which is exactly what I'm going to do today.



SATURDAY 2ND FEBRUARY - Passing on...

Today I'm going to read an obituary that was published last week on the Guardian website of David Pocock, one of the more influential anthropologists from the last century. His teaching over the years was as important as his writing, and he was particularly important in the resurgence of the Massobs archive which is occasionally mentioned on the blog. Also, for newcomers to the subject, Pocock published the introductory text 'Understanding Social Anthropology', as well as many other books. He once made a statement that really sums up anthropology and what its practitioners believe in: 'Social anthropology is concerned with the whole of life, and not just something you do until six o'clock. The study of social anthropology encourages you to have a new kind of consciousness of life; it is a way of looking at the world, and in that sense it is a way of living.' Inspirational stuff.


SUNDAY 3RD FEBRUARY - Uncovering the Veil

On Sunday I'm going to listen again to last week's Thinking Allowed programme which, amongst other topics, featured a discussion with a social scientist about the wearing of the veil in French schools, which was outlawed a couple of years ago. This subject ties in to many of anthropology's concerns, since it is an issue that cuts across many social issues, from nationalism to religion to identity.
For another point of view, it's also interesting to listen to this archived BBC examination of the cultural practice of men wearing the veil, which included contributions from anthropologists; or alternatively invest in this book written about the social role of the veil. A word of warning, in order to hear the feature on the veil, you first have to listen to a piece about a group of Americans convinced the apocalypse is imminent, and what is more, that it's nothing to worry about...



MONDAY 4TH FEBRUARY - International affairs

As I am sure you will have noticed, there is considerable unrest in Kenya at the moment following the elections held at the end of 2007. Today I want to research some anthropological perspectives on the subject, in order to gain a fuller understanding of what might be going on... In particular, I'm going to watch a short report by an anthropologist, Angelique Haugerud, who argues that the western media have concentrated too much on 'ancient' tribal conflicts as an explanation for a situation that actually has a much wider set of causes, such as economic inequality and widespread corruption. She has also written a long article on the issue, and her point of view has been echoed by several other writers, for example in The Guardian. It is a good example of how anthropology can help us understand 'news' situations in a more in-depth manner and on a broader platform, but most importantly for now - in Kenya.

TUESDAY 5TH FEBRUARY - Wartime on film

On Tuesday I'm going to hot-step it down to Riverside Studios to catch a showing of the Humphrey Jennings' classic film Fires were Started. The 'documentary', made in 1943, used non-professional actors and real-life footage to portray a day-in-the-life of the Blitz. It is widely studied on Visual Anthropology courses as an example of the use of film as propaganda, but is just as much worth watching for the impressive visuals. Admission to the film, which begins at 19.00, costs £6.50 for students, and you can view another of Jennings' wartime films online here.


WEDNESDAY 6TH FEBRUARY - Working into the night

Today I'm going to get myself booked in for an Open Evening at Birckbeck College in London, when I'm hoping to learn more about the short courses they run in social anthropology. Their Certificate in Higher Education emphasises the cross-cultural perspective you can gain from studying anthropology, and students can pick from a variety of 8 different modules, studying subjects such from religion, to health, and tourism. The courses start at different points during the year, and credits can count towards a BSc in Social Sciences. The evening session is running tomorrow, 7th February, from 16.00 until 19.30 at the Royal National Hotel in Central London - you can book online here.

Diary for 24th January to 30th January 2008

THURSDAY 24TH JANUARY - Buenos Días at the British Museum

Today I'm making my first Pocketvisions appearance of 2008, to watch 'Maybe Buenos Aires' in the Stevenson Theatre at The British Museum. It follows the journey of one Argentinian, Luis Caro, who has twice experienced exile from his homeland - once because of political unrest, and once through choice. Using Caro's life story as a background, the director traces many of the events that have occurred in and around Buenos Aires over he last 25 years, in an attempt to understand the balance of power between the people and the leaders. The showing begins at 16.00, is followed by a Q&A with the director as well as Professor Fred Halliday from the London School of Economics, and entrance is FREE.


FRIDAY 25TH JANUARY - Knock, knock - who's there?

On Friday I'm unicycling down to the Southbank Centre for a new exhibition called 'The Culture of Laughing' that opens today and runs until mid-April. Using a hilarious combination of video, photography and interactive exhibitions, the collection investigates whether humour is transferable across cultures. With 30 artists from all over the world contributing, the curator argues that whilst laughter is universal, humour is socially specific -and wants visitors to see if they can find amusement on foreign jokes without specific social knowledge. Look out for a German clown in the Brazilian rainforest, and some slapstick belly dancing...
Entrance to the exhibition is only £4 for students (£7 full price) for the first few weeks so get down there soon.

SATURDAY 26TH JANUARY - A fascinating collection

On Saturday I'm going to have a look at the assortment of short anthropological documentaries from last year's students on the MA in Visual Anthropology at Goldsmiths, which has just been put online. Highlights include an intimate study of people with obsessive compulsive disorder related to collecting objects - Possessed - and a look at the social community of London's Chinatown - We Keep Quiet. All the films are around twenty minutes or under, so it's a good chance to see a wide range of films without having to spend too much time doing so.

SUNDAY 27TH JANUARY - Rising to the top

On Sunday I'm going to research a film made by a visual anthropologist that has just been selected to go to the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. Yasmin Fedda studied social anthropology at Edinburgh University, then took an MA in Visual Anthropology at Manchester University, where she made a film about a monastery in the Syrian desert. Her latest film, Breadmakers (click the link to watch it online), is about a bakery in Edinburgh staffed entirely by people with learning disabilities. It is particularly interesting to read her comments about how she approached the filming - using mainly observational techniques - aiming to ensure that it portrayed the characters in the most responsible way possible. You can read more about the filmmaker here, and she also has a blog about the film and where it is screening here.

MONDAY 28TH JANUARY - Recording our existence

On Monday I want to book myself in for a seminar occurring tomorrow (Tuesday) that is being held at the University of Sussex between 12.30 and 13.55. It is part of a series of lecture organised by the 'everyday anthropology' organisation Massobs, and this session focuses on a 'life history' project being undertaken in the town of Newhaven. It is designed to establish whether the recording of an area's history can be beneficial to the regeneration of a town. The seminar is in the Pevensey Building 1 2A2 on the ground floor, and it is advisable to contact S.J.Carroll@sussex.ac.uk or M.Jolly@sussex.ac.uk if you wish to attend




TUESDAY 29TH JANUARY - Doctors & shamans

Tonight I'm going to watch the second episode of the a new series on Channel 4 called Medicine Men Go Wild. It follows two identical twin British doctors in their investigations of indigenous medicine in various different communities around the world. Despite the slightly silly title, the programme retains a good balance between respect for other cultural forms of medicine, and what they can contribute to western understanding. Tonight's episode is about how people use the mind to endure extreme pain, concentrating largely on the body piercings that devotees undergo at the Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Kuala Lumpur. The programme starts at 21.00 on C4, and if you miss it you should be able to download it soon on 4 on Demand.






WEDNESDAY 30TH JANUARY - Improving your dress sense

On Wednesday I'm going to don my glad rags and check out a new exhibition about 'Cloth and Culture' that has just opened at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts at the University of East Anglia. It draws on the work of artists from six different countries who look at the role of textiles in peoples' personal lives and also in wider society. Clothing has been studied over the years by several anthropologists, who have looked at everything from its varying status for transvestites, to the importance of wastebeads in defining the identity of Ghanaian women -in fact there is an interesting collection of essays on the subject called 'Dress Sense'. The exhibition runs until June this year, and the centre is open late on Wednesdays until 20.00 - if you miss it then there is also a book about the collection, which you can lean more about here.

Diary for 17th January to 23rd January 2008

THURSDAY 17TH JANUARY - Does the shoe fit?

Tonight I'm going to watch an unusual appearance by anthropology in a BBC drama adaptation of the well-known fairytale Cindarella. The hour long programme is broadcast at 21.00, and tells the story of a university cleaner named Cindy desperate to study anthropology so that she can accompany a famous professor, named (you've guessed it) 'Prince' on his fieldwork expedition to Borneo. Competing for the place with two other, presumably ugly and sisterly, students, Cindy hopes to win Professor Prince's affections despite her lowly position. You can view clips of the film online, and also read interviews with the main actors here. Let's hope, for the sake of aspiring anthropology students everywhere, it all ends happily ever after.

After watching, you may also be interested to read a bit more about the anthropology of fairytales, and how their role in society has been understood. Chris Knight, from the University of East London, is an expert on the subject - and you can read some of his thoughts here.


FRIDAY 18TH JANUARY - Planning ahead

On Friday I'm off to a talk at SOAS in London entitled 'What's the use of anthropology to international development'. The development sector is perhaps one of the most popular and relevant areas for anthropology graduates to work in after they finish their studies, but as this talk explores, there are often tensions between the hands-on approach anthropologists try to take, and the realities of implementing government policy. The lecture is being given by Professor David Mosse as part of the fascinating Inaugural Lecture Series, and it begins at 17.30 in the Brunei Gallery - entrance is FREE and is followed by a reception, but you are advised to contact the organisers beforehand on 0207 898 4075 or mo2@soas.ac.uk. If you find the talk interesting, then you may also like to attend the public lecture series on the anthropology of development that is running all term...


SATURDAY 19TH JANUARY - Green fingers on the radio

Today I’ll be listening again to an episode of anthropologists’ favourite ‘Thinking Allowed’ that was broadcast on Channel 4 before Christmas. It featured two anthropologists, Roy Ellen and Simon Platten, who are about to embark on a three year study on the ‘ethnobotany of the British garden’. The importance of a finely pruned hedge to the inner workings of British society has, according to them, been long overlooked. It has even been argued, apparently, that the national obsession with gardening is a reason for the calmness of the British temperament! Like all good 'reflexive' anthropology, this programme should begin to make us question an area of our lives that is usually ignored as simply 'normal'...


SUNDAY 20TH JANUARY - Living hour by hour

Today I wanted to read an article I spotted in the newspaper last week about British artist, Anthony Gormley, and his latest idea. He is trying to convince the powers-that-be that the next exhibition on the fourth plinth n Trafalgar Square should be an anthropological one. He thinks that for the entire year of 2009, a different person should occupy the plinth every single hour, adding up to 8760 people. He wants to create a living representation of Britain today, with people form every single walk of life appearing to dance, shout, scream, hop, speak....or whatever they choose to do. Sounds like something Lucy would certainly vote for! You can see all of the submissions for the project, including Gormley's , on the National Gallery website here.


MONDAY 21ST JANUARY - The catwalk of anthropology

Come Monday I will be looking for new ways to strut my anthropological stuff in the new collection from fashion designer Chayalan. A little random, but the Cypriot fashionista claims inspiration from 'current anthropology', as well as a host of other disciplines including migration and the philosophy of science. He wants his clothes to be seen as a part of culture, and not just an elite artistic world. Which is presumably why he has added signature drop pockets to his jeans... To read more about anthropology and fashion, why not check out this article.


TUESDAY 22ND JANUARY - Photographing history in Nagaland

Today I'm heading back down to the Brunei Gallery at SOAS in London for a look round the new exhibition on show there, 'An Image of Nagaland'. It includes photos taken at the Hornbill Festival from 2000, celebrated by the various tribes of Nagaland, in which a totemic dance is performed in recognition of their common cultural ancestry and identity. The 2000 festival was the first one held by the Naga for some time because of ongoing conflict on their area of Northern India, so the photographs are anthropological documents of a new period of opitimism, as well as of a long-standing tradition. The exhibition is open until 22nd March from Tuesday until Saturday, and entrance is FREE.




WEDNESDAY 23RD JANUARY - Talking about religion

On Wednesday I'm going along to a talk at the Institute of Jewish Studies at University College London, as part of their 'Anthropology and the Bible' seminar series. It's the first of a series of talks throughout the spring, and this week Bruce Kapferer will be discussing 'Mary Douglas and Henry Frankfort: Re-orientations, the present and the past'. Mary Douglas, who died last year, was one of the last century's most famous anthropologists, and one of her specialisations was in comparative religion. Henri Frankfort was a Dutch academic, specialising in Egyptian history and religion - so this talk should present a broad analysis of some common themes in our understandings of early religion. The talk is in Room 218, Foster Court, on Gower Street, and lasts from 16.00 until 18.00 - get in touch with the Insititue of Jewish Studies on 020 7679 3520 for more information - admission is FREE and ticketless.

Diary for 10th January to 16th January 2008

THURSDAY 10TH JANUARY - Reading about films

Today I'm going to purchase a new book which offers an introduction to documentary film. Cunningly entitled 'Documentary Film: A Very Short Introduction', the text provides a concise history of how the documentary medium has changed over the years, including a section on its use in anthropology. It discusses several films studied by anthropology students, perhaps most famously Nanook of the North (you can view an extract online here) and also looks at the different forms in which documentary has been created from artistically, to as propaganda and advocacy. Such issues of representation - whether in film or in text - are a vitally important part of anthropological theory, so for those looking for an introduction to the subject this looks ideal - the book is priced at £6.99, available from the Oxford University Press.


FRIDAY 11TH JANUARY - The Pet Ship Boys?

Tonight I'm going along to the Barbican in East London for a special screening of Battleship Potemkin, the famous Russian propaganda film from 1925. The film is studied on many visual anthropology courses as an example of the use of film for political ends in society. Tonight it will be accompanied by a live soundtrack courtesy of the Pet Shop Boys - you can listen to some clips on the Barbican website - so it's also an interesting example of how political texts can change meaning and become part of art and popular culture. If you can't make it to the Barbican (the show starts at 21.00 and tickets are priced at £20 upwards) then you can also watch the film online here, though without the Pet Shop Boys!




SATURDAY 12TH JANUARY - Films from the web

Today I'll be browsing the 4DOCS website to have a look at the new films that were entered into a recent competition they held, around the theme of 'Outside Story'. Unsurprisingly, given that anthropologists often spend their time looking at the 'outside story', there were a few entries that classified themselves as ethnographic films, including this one containing the reflections of a Kiowa Indian on his ethnic identity: 'Where the Buffalo Roam'. To view more entries, you can sort the film catalogue by theme, and choose 'ethnography'. Happy viewing!


SUNDAY 13TH JANUARY - From Russia with love

Today I'm heading down to the Russian Winter Festival in Trafalgar Square, to sample some of the finest music, performance, food and drink the country has to offer. Highlights of the day, which runs from 12.00 until 19.30, include military marching bands, traditional folk music and Russian - 'blinis' and 'pirozhkis' - pies and pancakes respectively... The event in Trafalgar Square is just one of several events celebrating the culture of Russia - for example there's also a dance show on in Hammersmith on Saturday night. To find out more and view the complete listings, have a look at the official website here.

MONDAY 14TH JANUARY - New anthropology websites!

Come Monday I want to have a look at the recently relaunched 'Visual Anthropology Net' website, which has just been revamped to make it more user-friendly. The site includes reviews of films and books on all things visual and anthropological, as well as news of interesting screenings, festivals and publications. It is also linked to an organisation called Ethnodoc, which has just begun to put ethnographic films on its website for members to watch - subscription is FREE!




TUESDAY 15TH JANUARY - Ethiopian Encounters

On Tuesday I'm off to have a look at a new exhibition at The Fitzwiliam Musuem in Cambridge, called Ethiopian Encounters. It includes a series of watercolour paintings made by the British explorer William Cornwallis Harris of the various people he encountered on a mission to Ethiopia in the 1840s. It should be interesting not only because they are some of the earliest pictures of this social group in existence, but also to look at the way people were represented in imagery back then, as compared to now. The exhibition is open from Tuesday until Sunday until 17.00 and entrance is FREE. Look out also for a series of related talks, workshops and events.




WEDNESDAY 16TH JANUARY - What is change?

This afternoon I'm going to a talk in the Institute for Social Change at Manchester University, which is part of the Social Sciences Faculty and linked to Harvard in the USA. Professor Mary Waters from Harvard will be giving a talk about social change and the challenges faced by all levels of society in being part of, and managing 'change'. Social change is a topic that has been debated by anthropologists for many years, because it is often leads to overly neat theories about the structure of societies completely unraveling!
The Institute for Social Change is mainly concerned with how Governments can deal with change, rather than from a bottom-up point of view, but nonetheless the talk should definitely be worth hearing. It takes place in Room G.030 in the Arthur Lewis building at 16.00 - and it's probably worth phoning ahead to check there will be space.

Diary for 3rd January to 9th January 2008

Happy New Year!

THURSDAY 3RD JANUARY - Tribal change in India

Today I'm going to listen again to a brief report that appeared on Radio 4's Women's Hour this morning about the Toda tribe in India. Reportedly, the Toda are the most regularly studied social group by anthropologists across history, and a desire to understand their culture was one of the first fieldwork projects undertaken by a social anthropologist - see Rivers' book The Todas. This report looked at the effect the education of women is having on their traditional position in Toda society, and how the females are beginning to marry outside their community to escape its male-dominated structure.


FRIDAY 4TH JANUARY - A world of anthropology online

Goldsmiths College Anthropology Department have now put a selection of their research papers online for interested visitors to browse, so today I'm going to have a look at the different topics they have been looking at over the past couple of years. Whilst some of the theory and terminology used in the papers may be a bit too advanced for someone recently introduced to anthropology, at the very least they offer a great insight into how varied the subject can be, with pieces on everything from anarchy to bingo to the resettlement of a community in Gujarat, India. Look out for more additions in the future.


SATURDAY 5TH JANUARY - Filming in the Amazon

On Saturday I'm going to browse the website for Bruce Parry's new film project, Amazon. He was the presenter of the enormously successful TV series Tribe, that caused many a heated discussion between anthropologists and television producers about how much insight it gave into the peoples he visited. Whilst this latest series is mainly about Bruce's journey along the South American river, he also encounters many different communities along the way, and it should be fascinating to see what happened. The website contains blogs and clips from their filming process, and is an early insight into what the finished programmes will be about when they are broadcast next autumn.


SUNDAY 6TH JANUARY - The representation of race

This afternoon I'm heading along to the ICA in Central London for the screening of a film called What Black Men Think, which is followed by a Q&A with the director. It is an analysis of the presentation, and frequent stereotyping, of black men across society - whether it be by governments, the media or black community leaders. Director Janks Morton aimed to break down what he considered to be popular misrepresentations in order to gain a better understanding of the role of black men in society. The film has proved quite controversial for its frank tone, so the event should definitely be interesting - it begins at 16.00 and costs £8, or £7 for students.


MONDAY 7TH JANUARY - Exploring the City

On Monday I'm going to listen again to the Christmas editions of Thinking Allowed which, over the course of two programmes, looked at how social change affect the identity of a city. The first programme looked at Berlin, and how the fall of the Berlin Wall has led to the reworking of historical understandings of the city, particularly the less 'desirable' elements. The second episode looked further at the issue of memory in urban environments, and how commemorations reflect what city communities do and do not remember is related to the political climate at that time. The anthropology of cities is commonly available as a module on social anthropology courses, as anthropologists turn their attention more and more frequently towards apparently 'complex' communities and how they function.


TUESDAY 8TH JANUARY - Tunnel Vision

Today I'm making the trip out to Rayners Lane tube station on the Piccadilly Line on London Underground to check out the latest exhibition in the series of Platform Art. Assumptions and Presumptions is currently showing there as well as at Sudbury Town station, also on the Piccadilly Line, and comprises three films about identity and personal relationships. It's doubly interesting for the anthropologist - one for the use of a public space to represent these issues, and secondly because we are always trying to overcome our own assumptions about people and societies in order to understand them better.


WEDNESDAY 9TH JANUARY - Tuning in to violence

On Wednesday evening, I'm tuning into the radio again - this time Radio 3's Nightwaves programme which begins at 21.45. Tonight it features the famous sociologist and philosopher Slavoj Zizek, speaking about his recent research into the meaning of violence. Zizek's writing often features in anthropology university courses, because of his analysis of the role of the individual in society. Unusually for an academic, he was also the subject of a feature-length film made last year because of his controversial and engaging opinions. If you miss the live broadcast, you can also listen again online.

Diary for 13th December - 19th December 2007

THURSDAY 13TH DECEMBER - Punishing artworks

On Thursday I want to attend a talk being given by the famous visual anthropologist Christopher Pinney at Goldsmiths University. He will be talking about the use of Karni Bharni images of salvation - or 'soteriology' - in Indian governance, and the power such depictions of punishment can have in society. It is a good example of the ways in which politics, religion and culture overlap to affect social imaginings and customs. The talk begins at 17.00 in the Small Hall Cinema and everyone is welcome.


FRIDAY 14TH DECEMBER - What is anthropology all about?

This Friday evening I'm going along to the annual Huxley lecture held at the British Museum. Anthropologists are asked to give the lecture in recognition of their achievements in the field, and this year the speaker is Professor Adam Kuper, from Brunel University, talking on 'Changing the Subject'. It promises to look at the role of anthropology today, and the challenges it needs to address in order to continue being an important part of society. The event begins at 18.00 in the Stevenson Lecture Theatre and entrance is FREE.

SATURDAY 15H DECEMBER - Pocketvisions wraps up for Christmas

This afternoon it's time to bid farewell to Pocketvisions for the year down at the Roxy Bar & Screen. At 15.30, they will be showing 'Avenge but One of my Two Eyes' by Avi Mograbi about the cycles of violence in Israel and Palestine. The film has one several awards across the world for its unflinching portrayal of events, and you can read an interview with the director here. It will be followed by the Pocketvisions Christmas get-together at 17.00 for the chance to mingle with all those involved in the organisation.

SUNDAY 16H DECEMBER - The Art of Fishing

This Sunday I'm settling in to listen again to a programme from Radio 4's Women's Hour that was broadcast recently about a project that is documenting women's role in fishing communities in north England. There is a more than a touch of ethnography about the project, and it's a great insight to a little-known corner of society. As it happens, one of the first ethnographic films was also made about fishing - this time mainly about men - and you can watch it online. It's called The Drifters by John Grierson, the so-called godfather of documentary in the UK.



MONDAY 17TH DECEMBER - How to film...

On Monday I'm going to check out a film that has been posted on Google Video about ethnographic film-making. It contains many contributions from anthropologists about the ethics and challenges posed for anyone trying to combine anthropology and film, including figures such as Robert Gardner, Lucien Taylor, and Paul Henley who runs the MA in Visual Anthropology in Manchester. The documentary covers such issues as whether the film-maker should observe or participate, and is a useful introduction for getting to grips with the issues at stake. For more information, you could also have a look at this website, which has newsletters about the latest developments and publications related to visual anthropology.

TUESDAY 18TH DECEMBER - Feeling sleepy

Christmas is coming, and that, according to my traditions and customs, means a lot of sleeping. To get in the mood, today I'm off to the Wellcome Collection's current exhibition about that very subject. Sleeping and Dreaming includes contributions from artists, scientists, film-makers and historians, and takes an in-depth look at sleeping across cultures. One of the sections that looks particularly interesting is the about how economic and social change are affecting our sleep patterns, for example resulting in the invention of the 'power nap'. The exhibition runs until March 8th 2008, is open daily (except Monday) until 18.00 and entrance is FREE.


WEDNESDAY 19TH DECEMBER - Inside the mind of a shopper...

I'm signing off for a bit of a break today, so there'll be no blog for a couple of weeks, but I've heard talk that there will be more activities than ever for an Anthropologist about Town come 2008.

In the meantime, if you're struggling with the retail overload that always occurs at this time of year, why not have a look at some anthropological analysis of shopping and what it means. Danny Miller has written a Theory of Shopping that sees it as a ritual process, or a 'technology of love' - think of it that way and it might help the endless queues and emptying wallet seem more bearable!