Diary for 24th July to 30th July 2008

THURSDAY 24TH JULY - Getting throaty in Cambridge

I'm kicking off the week in style tonight, as I'm attending a workshop put on by Siberian musicians Altai Kai at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Cambridge. The six-piece group from the Altai mountains in Southern Siberia will be performing their unique combination of 'kai' - or 'throat-singing' - accompanied by traditional instruments from the region including horse-hair fiddles and shamanic drums. The songs are designed to gain the favour of the powerful mountain spirits who will protect their hunters and herdsmen. The event is FREE to attend - for more information you can call the museum on 01223 333516, and is a fantastic chance to see the group in a smaller setting before they head off for the likes of the Royal Opera House.







FRIDAY 25TH JULY - Observing Olga

I'm off to Pocketvisions again tonight for what sounds like an ethnographic film in the most traditional, observational definition of the genre. Olga & Time is set in the Italian mountains and depicts a morning-in-the-life of Olga, a cow herdswoman as she works, enjoys nature and boils milk. It is "a poetic visions of a few hours in the life of the earth" and follows in the footsteps of some other anthropological films that have not sought to explain, merely to present. Perhaps most well known of these (and also widely studied on undergraduate courses) is Robert Gardner's Forest of Bliss, about everyday life in the Indian town of Benares. Such films attract a fair amount of discussion as to whether they are more or less helpful as a way of representing society, or corner of society. The only way to decide is by watching one yourself, so that's why I'll be going along to Olga & Time, which begins at 18.30 in London Bridge's Roxy Bar & Screen - entrance is FREE.


SATURDAY 26TH JULY - Silent tongues

On Tuesday I'm going to visit an exhibition being put on in East London by Susan Hiller. She trained as an anthropologist at university and her work has often concentrated on recording human behaviour and the peculiarities of different groups. 'The Last Silent Movie' is her latest work, and is an audio installation made up of extinct or endangered languages. The idea is that by exhibiting these voices she is ensuring that their knowledge continues to provoke meaning even today. The exhibition is showing at Matt's Gallery all weekend, with the film every half hour between 12.00 and 18.00. You can also watch an interview with Susan Hiller here to learn more about her approach to her work.



SUNDAY 27TH JULY - Music from India

More music on Sunday as I'm down at The Horniman Museum in South-East London for the 'Utsavam Fest' going on all afternoon. The event includes an assortment of arts, crafts and food from India and is linked in to the ongoing exhibition Utsavam - Music from India which is running at the Horniman until November. The exhibition features rarely-seen or known instruments from many different parts of rural India, and looks at the different geographical, cultural and social environments in which music is produced (watch a short video here). The event lasts from 13.00 until 18.00 and admission is FREE - the museum is also open until 17.30.



MONDAY 28TH JULY - Snappy dressers

Today I'll be getting suited and booted to sit down and listen to a recent episode of Radio 4's Thinking Allowed, which focused on the overwhelming popularity of the western business suit as the choice of dress for world leaders. The discussants on the show, who include renowned LSE anthropologist Henrietta Moore, will be debating what it is about the garment that is so appealing to those in power. It's all linked to the publication of a recent book 'Clothing: A Global History', coming to a book shop near you soon. Clothing is an important subfield in anthropology, because it is often an important form of cultural expression and, as is the case here, can also tell us a lot about the presentation of power in social relations. You can listen to other talks involving Professor Moore on her website here.

TUESDAY 29TH JULY - Unpacking reality

Today I'll be attending an exhibition recently featured in The Guardian (viewable online) called 'I packed this Myself'. It's organised by the community-cohesion group Bridging Arts and is a series of traveling suitcases that include information and objects relating to the lives of migrant workers in Southern England, aiming to inform local people about their communities and combat some of the rural racism that exists. At the moment, suitcases include one from Eastern Europe and another from Portugal, and they are touring Cornwall over coming weeks. There's plenty of further information and resources on the website, so check it out...




WEDNESDAY 30TH JULY - Women in Benin

Sad news for anthropologists about town, good news for Lucy's suntan - next week I'll be off doing some foreign 'research', so there'll be a brief week off from the blog. To make sure you don't miss out, here's an advance heads-up for another screening 'Upstairs at the RAI' on 4th August. Following the successful event a couple of weeks ago, the film Si-Gueriki - The Queen Mother, directed by Benin film-maker Idrissou Mora-Kpai, will be showing at 18.00, introduced by the director. It is a wide-ranging reflection on the role of Borgu women in their North Benin society, and their changing role and position within the community - you can read a much more detailed summary here. If you would like to attend, the screening is FREE and more information can be obtained from Susanne Hammacher, the RAI film officer on 020 7387 0455.

Diary for 17th July to the 23rd July 2008

THURSDAY 17TH JULY - Out of the forest

This afternoon I'm going to learn a little more about the Kayapo people, who live in Brazil. The Kayapo have a long-standing connection with anthropology, and they came into the news this week when they were visited by the team from the BBC television series 'Amazon' (who also made the series 'Tribe'). They are well-known for their battle in 1989 against a proposed dam that would have flooded their lands. At the time, they were working on a pioneering ethnographic film project with the American anthropologist Terence Turner, in which he was trying to encourage the Kayapo to make their own films about their lives. The project is much discussed on Visual Anthropology courses in debates around authorship, and the control over images that are created of indigenous peoples. You can read more about it here, as well as the new campaign the Kayapo are having to wage against another dam project at the moment.




FRIDAY 18TH JULY - The Iron Men

The 'Encore' Season from the London International Documentary Festival, organised by anthropologists Patrick Hazard, continues this week at a new venue - the British Museum. Showing this evening at 18.30 in the Stevenson Lecture Theatre is the award-winning Ironeaters, which depicts the lives of workers in Southern Bangladesh, who spend their days dismantling huge cargo ships that are no longer needed as functioning vessels. It should be a fascinating exploration of issues of labour and globalisation, as well as a look at economic migration - since many of the shipyard's workers travel from north Bangladesh because it is the only work they can find. Tickets cost £3, or £2 for students, and they can be purchased online.




SATURDAY 19TH JULY - One and Other

As I have mentioned before on the blog, the artist Anthony Gormley (the man behind the Angel of the North) is heavily influenced in his work by his undergraduate studies in anthropology at Cambridge University. And this has perhaps never been more evident than in his latest commission which was recently unveiled, as the occupant of the 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square, with his work 'One and Other'. For 100 days, a different person will occupy the space for an hour at a time, with the aim of providing a showpiece of the diversity and interconnectedness of London's populace. You can watch a clip of Anthony Gormley talking about the work here, as well as read more about how his work is anthropological in this article by anthropologist Hugh Brody, who sees his endeavour as "a search for an end to alienation", which could also reasonably be applied to the work of anthropology in some ways...





SUNDAY 20TH JULY - View from the Valleys

As I mentioned on last week's blog, the new series of Wales Observed begins today on BBC Radio Wales, drawn from the archives of Massobs - the 'everyday anthropology' organisation. The first episode is taken from the diary of a teenager preparing to leave school in 1937, and his thoughts on what the future holds. It is an early example of how anthropologists - or related bodies at least - were beginning to look at their own societies for knowledge of how we live, as well as traveling to far-flung locations (as is the stereotype often held of anthropology). The show is airing at 12.3o, but remember it will be available on 'listen again' for seven days afterwards if you miss it first time around.




MONDAY 21ST JULY - Weeping over a wedding

A great chance today to see a fantastic anthropological film, and all in the eminent setting of the Royal Anthropological Institute. 'Every Good Marriage Begin with Tears' won the RAI Film Prize at last year's Ethnographic Film Festival, and tells the story of an East London Muslim girl and the unraveling of her arranged marriage with a Bangladeshi man. It also follows her sister's trip to Bangladesh for a marriage of her own, and all the misgivings that go with it. The film examines the differences in attitude between different generations of a Bangladeshi family, as well as exploring that perennial question - the meaning of love. The RAI are busy tracking down the film's director to host a discussion after the film, and will also provide refreshments during the screening. The event is scheduled to begin at 18.45 and entrance is FREE, you can find directions on their webste here.




TUESDAY 22ND JULY - Resisting conformity

This evening I'm off to the opening night of a two-day film festival being held at The Flea Pit in East London called Persistence Resistance. It's a showcase of films from India that deal with socio-political issues, and today in particular the focus is on borderlands -so issues of the nation state played against local identity, as well as a couple of films about the metropolis - and its associated diaspora of identity, with the screening of the renowned portrait of Mumbai, '7 Islands and a Metro'. The motivation behind the festival is also interestingly to bring the spectator into dialogue with the films' subjects, rather than being a detached outsider, similar to any involved anthropology. The screenings start at 17.00, and entrance costs £5 for the night, or £8 if you plan to attend tomorrow as well.



WEDNESDAY 23RD JULY - Feeling Horniman

Felling restless come Wednesday, so I'll be down in the gardens of the anthropological Horniman Museum, dancing with the Nzinga Ensemble. They will be performing and demonstrating the Kweyol dance, which originates in Africa and is based on fertility and good fortune rituals. There will be the oppportunity to learn, listen and also partake for the more nimble amongst you. The session, like the rest of the Museum, is FREE to attend, and lasts from 14.00 until 15.30 with a break in the middle.

Diary for July 3rd to July 9th 2008

THURSDAY JULY 3RD - An enticing brew

After waking up with a strong cuppa' today, I'll be starting off with a visit to the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) in Cambridge to have a look at their collection of Zisha teapots from China. The pots are apparently the finest vessels in all the world for preparing tea, and remain a luxury item in their homeland. This exhibition looks at the notions of 'authenticity' that lie behind them, for whilst the teapots are presented as spontaneous artistic creations by their makers, they are in fact the result of many years of training and careful craft. Tea, as such an important commodity, has been the subject of several anthropologists' studies, such as Alan Macfarlane's 'Green Gold', and Chatterjee's 'A time for Tea'. It was also the subject of Goldsmiths student ethnographic film - which you can watch online. The MAA is open from Tuesday to Saturday between 10.30 and 16.30 and entrance is FREE.






FRIDAY JULY 4th - Lifting horizons

There's an interesting event happening at the moment called the LIFT Festival at the Southbank Centre in London. The idea behind LIFT is that culture can enable people to engage more readily in political and social understanding across perceived boundaries. The events take place in a portable structure that is also visiting various other parts of the country this year - see their homepage for details. At the Southbank this week, events include the Aboriginal group 'The Black Arm Band', as well as many other indigenous groups from around the globe. Tonight, there's also 'The Long Table on Human Rights' which looks at the way performance overlaps with the protection of human rights. The Long Table begins at 18.00 and admission costs £5.


SATURDAY JULY 5TH - Removing rights

On Saturday I'm attending a new play down by London Bridge (which is then going on national tour to Manchester and Liverpool) about the asylum and refugee situation in the UK at the moment. Interestingly, it is an interactive experience, as the audience wander between sections of the 'removal centre' stage. Featuring original testimony from asylum seekers' experiences, including one which you can view online here, the production is being put on by The Red Room - an arts organisation which aims to questions the status quo. This interrogation of stereotypes and perception is crucial in anthropology, so the play should be well-worth getting along to. It runs at the Southwark Playhouse until 12th July at 19.30 and tickets are cheaper the earlier you book!





SUNDAY JULY 6TH - Tibet on screen

This fine Sunday I'm planning to learn more about Tibetan society. Firstly, following up on last week's blog, I'm going to watch 'Youth, Diaspora and the Search for Identity' at the ICA in London. Beginning at 16.30 (and costing £7 for students) it's a compilation of short films about young Tibetans living far from their homeland, and their lives in places such as India and Canada. One of the films, 'One Day with Rinpoche', also tells the story of an incarnate lama living in exile in India. And if that's not enough - or you just can't make it down to the ICA, you might like to take advantage of the BBC's new iplayer service, where you can watch the recently screened 'Wheel of Time' - directed by Werner Herzog, and produced by renowned visual anthropologist Andre Singer. It's all about the Buddhist Kalachakra initiation and includes an interview with the Dalai Lama. For a programme on Herzog himself you could also try and watch again the Imagine episode about him that was on last week.


MONDAY JULY 7TH - A degree of choice

For those of you thinking about where to go to apply to university this autumn, then you might be interested to check out the guide to different institutions that was published last week in Times. Anthropology is picked out in several of the reviews - for example it is "internationally outstanding" as University College London, a "spectacular success" at Goldsmiths College, and a new course in forensic anthropology came highly-rated at Dundee. There are over 400 anthropology courses on offer in the UK - for the full list you can visit the Good University Guide on the website. It's also worth checking out the links from the Royal Anthropological Institute's information page, as well as the homepages of the anthropology departments that will be present at next week's London Anthropology Day.


TUESDAY JULY 8TH - Doing the wife thing?

Today, with slight hesitation, I'm going to watch the latest in the long line of TV anthropology that has arrived on our screens. 'Tribal Wives' follows the experiences of various women as they visit supposedly 'remote' locations to understand what is missing in their busy UK lives. The idea seems to be that by spending time with women from tribal societies they can find some answers. Films such as these are tricky for the anthropologist, since while it is normally a good thing to learn about other cultures on a wider basis, the focus can often be misleading. You can read an interesting article on the series by UCL anthropologist Michael Stewart in which he laments the lack of a native point of view. If you want to watch the films themselves, they are on the BBC iplayer site, and also broadcast at 21.00 on BBC2 on Wednesdays.


WEDNESDAY JULY 9TH - Workers of the world unite

I'm down at a new exhibition in East London in the Whitechapel Gallery today featuring a Chinese artist, Wang Jianwei, who uses film to investigate issues of power and history in China's rapidly changing social and economic climate. His work is being shown together with that of Ali Kamza, whose films are studies of the work and lives of skilled workers, from artisans to doctors. Ethnographic films have often represented issues of labour and economics, since they are both widely studied by anthropologists. You can view examples of the work on the website.
The Gallery is open from Wednesday to Sunday between 11.00 and 18.00 and entrance is FREE.

Diary for 26th June to 2nd July 2008

THURSDAY 26TH JUNE - More than a bookworm

Tonight my plan is to head over to West London for a night called Book Slam. It's a heady combination of literature, music, performance and all things cultural, and it's run by author and ex-anthropology student Patrick Neate. Every month Book Slam plays host to a variety of authors and other artistic types who give their insights on the world. This week, the main attraction is author Patience Agbabi, who will be reading extracts from 'Bloodshot Monochrome', her new book of poetry that looks at cross-cultural issues in East London. To learn more about Pat Neate's own writing, and perhaps gain an indication of how anthropology links into his own work, have a look at his website here. Book Slam start at 20.00 at Neighbourhood Bar, and tickets cost £6 for students, £8 full price.






FRIDAY 27TH JUNE -Look to the heavens in Wales

The long-awaited Wales Anthropology Day is upon us today, as flagged on the blog in the last few weeks. The day is an enticing blend of workshops about the many different options of study for the budding anthropologist, and is being held at the University of Wales in Lampeter. It's still not too late to sign up for the day, which runs from 9.30 until 16.30 and is FREE to attend. Highlights include workshops on the impact of body-paint, costume, and 'bling' attire on our identity, as well as a rare session on 'cultural astronomy', which looks at magic and astrology in contemporary society. The University of Wales actually has a specialist unit, the Sophia Centre, set up to study cosmology, and how humans have, and still do use the sky to tell stories about their existence. Spell-binding stuff..





SATURDAY 28TH JUNE - Ted is the new black

If it's mental stimulation you're looking for, then you can't go far wrong with the video website TED (standing for Tecnology, Entertainment, Design). It has a huge range of talks by inspiring intellectual and public figures on a wide array of subjects, including some directly related to anthropology. For example, there's a couple of talks on there by Wade Davis, an activist for indigenous communities who trained as an 'ethnobotanist', as well as one by paleoanthropologist Zerensey Alemseged on the discovery of the ancient skeleton Selam (related to Lucy by the by...) and what she can tell us about humanity. Almost all the talks are limited to under 20 minutes so you can even get your brain stimulation in the time it takes to eat breakfast...



SUNDAY 29TH JUNE - Leaving a mark(er)

There's another Pocketvisions Encore selection of intriguing ethnographic documentaries screening today at the Roxy Bar & Screen near London Bridge. As usual, the showings are divided into two sessions, with films this week about attempts to suppress the coca trade in South America, ice harvesting in the Andes and also a re-working of an old, classic documentary. The latter film in question is Chris Marker's 1960 'Description of a Struggle' about the young state of Israel - which has been reworked into Description of a Memory, interweaving present-day footage of Israel with archive from Marker's film. Chris Marker's work is often studied on visual anthropology because his poetic approach to subjects is similar to the way some ethnographic film-makers have attempted to use film as a more expressive way of representing other societies than through words. The films are showing from 15.00 until 18.30 and one £3 ticket gets you into as much of that period as you like. Tickets can even be purchased online here.


MONDAY 30TH JUNE - Religion & Iraq in Glasgow

On Monday I'm off to a final Refugee Week exhibition (several were mentioned on the blog last week) up in Glasgow at the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art. 'Life after Iraq' is a collection of photographs and writing by two Scottish journalists, Angela Caitlin and Billy Bragg, and contains images of Iraqi exiles in both Syria and Scotland. It's another chance to understand better what life is like for those living at the margins of society. Whilst at the museum I'm also going to check out the rest of the collections which contain information on all the world's major religions - the cross-cultural comparison of religion and ritual is often studied by anthropologists. The exhibition is open from 10.00 until 17.00 daily, and runs until the end of October - admission to the museum is FREE.





TUESDAY 1ST JULY - Tibet and the diaspora

I'll be down at the ICA in central London today for the start of a mini-season of films called 'Through an Exile Lens: Thoughts & Imaginings of Tibet'. The week-long collection of films includes pieces about young people growing up in Tibet, as well as various perspectives from those living in exile in India. It's interesting to the anthropologist because the subject matter revolves around people trying to create, or retain, a cultural identity in the face of state repression or ignorance, and therefore touches on all sorts of relevant issues from ethnicity to nationalism to religion. Particularly look out for 'Youth, Disapora and the Search for Identity' on later in the week, about several different young Tibetans living in India. If you're interested in the area, then you might also like to check out anthropologists Alan Macfarlane's website 'Digital Himalaya' - an online ethnographic record of the region.


WEDNESDAY 2ND JULY - Violence on the radio

Today I'll be listening again to Thinking Allowed which this week concentrated on the rituals and 'micro-dynamics' of violence. Speaking on the programme will be American sociologist Randall Collins who argues that humans are biologically predisposed away from violence and that it is in fact brought on by the situations they are caught up in. Since violence occurs in almost every society, anthropology has a strong interest in the whys and wherefores of the subject. Indeed, you can study it as a specialist degree, for example on the MA in Anthropology of Conflict,Violence and Conciliation at the University of Sussex. There are also several other web resources out there, for example this brief youtube discussion and this selection of writing. Peace out.

Diary for 19th June to 25th June 2008

THURSDAY 19TH JUNE - Painting Hull

We're half way through the annual Refugee Week at the moment, and since anthropology is often concerned with issues of migration, identity and cross-cultural difference there are a few events I'm going to highlight that should be worth attending. Starting today in Hull is 'The Land of Green Ginger', a participatory art project that aims to link refugees in the area with their 'host communities'. Over the course of three days, participants will collaborate to produce an artwork for the city, with the aim of also increasing their mutual understanding, and making plans for the future. As well as being an interesting exercise from the cross-cultural point of view, it is also notable for anthropologists because art is being used as a 'tool' for this communication. The event begins at 9.00 at the Paragon Station and the Central Library. You can find out more about Refugee Week and all the events taking place nationwide on their website.


FRIDAY 20TH JUNE - Imagining Iran

I'm afraid I'm a bit late on this one, but I thought the event worth mentioning anyway as there's still some related resources available online. The event in question was put on by the Iran Heritage Foundation at the University of St Andrews last week and comprised a conference, series of film screenings and a photographic exhibition looking at the Visual Representations of Iran. Although unfortunately the exhibition finished on the 18th June, several of the films are still available to view on the website, where you can also find out about upcoming events being organised by the IHF. Additionally, the photography exhibition that was on at the conference also exists as a book, and is a collection of images by Kaveh Golestan entitled 'Recording the Truth in Iran'. You can also read interesting academic abstracts on the website looking at issues of Persian identity. So whilst it's a shame I did not spot this event earlier, hopefully there is plenty of interesting stuff still online anyway.


SATURDAY 21ST JUNE - Refuge in film

Another Refugee Week installment today as I'll be checking out what this year's Refuge in Film film festival in London has to offer. A selection of films exploring issues of migration and refugees will be showing until Sunday, selected and presented by young people interested in and affected by those issues, in collaboration with the grassroots organisation Nueva Generacion. According to the current events page, on Saturday at the BFI there will be a combination of films and visual workshops, as well as a 16.30 screening of 'The Sahara is not for sale' at the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn (tickets are £5), about the repression of the Saharawi people in Morocco.






SUNDAY 22ND JUNE - A day in Wales

Another reminder for the Wales Anthropology Day, which is now just under a week away. Places are still available for the day, being held at the University of Wales in Lampeter, which is made up of a series of workshops, talks and film screenings all designed to give an introduction to anthropology. Whether it's facial reconstruction, life in the army or Jamie's School Dinners - the topics covered are many and varied and should provide a great overview of the breadth of subject matter studied by anthropologists. The event is free to attend - for more information you need to email s.hurn@lamp.ac.uk, or otherwise just fill in the booking form online.





MONDAY 23RD JUNE - Getting in touch

As I mentioned on the blog a couple of week's ago, the relationship indigenous people have with the world at large has been in the news a lot recently, with an at times heated exchange raging between anthropologists, non-governmental organisations and just about everybody else about how these encounters should be viewed and represented. I came across an interesting article the other day which suggested that instead of emphasising the fact that these communities are 'uncontacted', we should rather try to understand their frequent struggles to retain control of their land and way of living from outside influences. At first such specific arguments may come across as a bit pedantic, but they are in fact vital to consider, especially given the current wave of questionable reality programmes in the media about indigenous peoples. It's an important debate, and a difficult one.



TUESDAY 24TH JUNE - Sharing out sameness

This evening I'll be heading down to the ICA in Central London for a talk by the French philosopher Luce Irigaray. She will be discussing some of the topics raised in her latest book, Sharing the World, many of which are highly relevant to anthropology. For example, she examines the idea of 'sameness' in western culture, and suggests that learning to co-exist with 'the other' as 'another' might be a more helpful way forward. The 'Other' is a concept commonly referred to in anthropology, and is a catch-all term used to describe how we represent those outside our society or direct community. The talk begins at 18.45 and tickets cost £9 for students. You may have trouble getting tickets, in which case returns are normally available - otherwise look out for another talk by Irigaray in September.





WEDNESDAY 25TH JUNE - No Man is an Island

I'm off to the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology today to look at a new exhibition of photographs by Australian artist Brook Andrew. 'The Island' is a collection of ethnographic photographs taken by early anthropologists, which Andrew has reinterpreted in the light of contemporary political and social concerns about the exploitation of indigenous peoples. The collection is made up of portraits and landscapes from the archives of several anthropological institutions. Moving away from discussions of how the images sterotype indigenous peoples, this collection aims to understand them at a different level, in terms of cultural identity, history and racial discrimination that lies therein. You can read an introduction to the photographs by anthropologist Nick Thomas as well as the artist here. The exhibition runs until 27th September, and entrance to the Museum of Archeology and Anthropology is FREE.

Diary for 12th June to 18th June 2008

THURSDAY 12TH JUNE - Alluring talk

There's an introductory talk to 'The Lure of The East' exhibition (mentioned on last week's blog) that I'll be attending today at Tate Britain. It's being given by curator Christine Riding and will focus on issues of cultural 'cross-dressing' in portraits of the Ottoman Empire, which sounds like it will offer some interesting perspectives on the difficulties of representation, and the problems inherent in any outside perspective on another society. The talk begins at 13.00 in the Auditorium and tickets cost £4 -you can book online here.


FRIDAY 13TH JUNE - A taste of anthropology

Today I want to tell you about an event that's going on at Goldsmiths University which is, unusually, perhaps not something I would recommend attending (unless you have some experience of anthropology), but is still interesting to know about as it's a great reflection of the diversity of work that anthropologists do. The event in question is an 'exhibition' of current research occurring amongst anthropologists in London, ranging from tattoos to bookmakers, and from Bulgarian Muslims to Ghanaian chainsaw operators. For a small reflection of some of the work London anthropologists get up to you could also look at the written and visual resources available on the Goldsmiths anthropology webpage, or consider subscribing to the magazine Anthropology Today - although be warned some prior knowledge is useful for all of them!


SATURDAY 14TH JUNE - Anthropology in the news and on the news

There was a good example this week of how the work of anthropologists is being used more and more widely to understand the way the world works. Associated Press, who are responsible for a huge amount of the information we read in the press, have just announced the results of a study they commissioned on the consumption of news by young people aged between 10 and 18. They employed a team of anthropologists around the world to investigate the subject and the research was discussed at the Gothenburg World Editors' Forum no less. You can read about the experiences of one the anthropologists on her blog, as well as about the project more generally on its website.





SUNDAY 15TH JUNE - Lebanon to Bucharest

Pocketvisions returns today with more highlights from the documentary film festival held in London a couple of months ago. This week the selection of films showing at the Roxy Bar & Screen centre around the theme of solitude, whether that loneliness is brought on by economic, political, family or personal circumstances. Session One - beginning at 15.00 comprises Casa Mia (My House) and Por Mis Hijos (For my Children), about two Bucharest youngsters and a Barcelona mother respectively trying to find a better life for themselves. Session 2, from 16.30, is made up of 'Beirut: All flights cancelled' abuout the 2006 conflict in Lebanon and Cyanosis, which depicts an Iranian street artist's struggle to work against a backdrop of interference from officials. Tickets for the whole afternoon cost £3 and can be purchased online or on the door.


MONDAY 16TH JUNE - Horses and things

Today I'll be listening again to the latest episode of Thinking Allowed, in which anthropologist Daniel Miller from University College London was talking about his book 'The Comfort of Things'. Miller is an expert on 'consumption' and the meanings objects have for human beings, and his recent research has focused especially on the meaning behind the items people decorate their homes with, and how their relationship with their wider community is affected by these possessions. He did the research by investigating 30 different peoples' homes on just one London street. Also on the programme is a discussion about how humans relate to horses - for more information on this topic see Goldsmiths anthropologist Rebecca Cassidy's work. Interestingly, Thinking Allowed is also now expanding its links with The Open University - with extended interviews and greater resources than the BBC microsite.



TUESDAY 17TH JUNE - Polynesian Paris

Following my adventures in Holland last week, this time around I'll be catching the train over to Paris for a new exhibition at the Musee du Quai Branly. The collection is a recreation of an exhibition held in England at the Sainsburys Centre for Visual Arts a couple of years ago, called 'Art & Divinity in Polynesia, 1760-1860' and it includes many fascinating artefacts from when the first encounters occurred between European travelers and indigenous Polynesians. Objects on display include functional items such as fish hooks and tools, to canoes and massive temple images, and there is also an examination of the motivations that lay behind the Europeans desire to build up these collections. The exhibition runs until mid-September and the admission prices ranges from 10 to 20 Euros depending on how much of the museum's other intriguing exhibitions you want to see.




WEDNESDAY 18TH JUNE - The badge of an icon

Particularly interesting if you listened to the radio programme I mentioned on Monday will be the 'Icons of Revolution' exhibition currently running at the British Musuem. It's an assortment of badges, posters, books and other material and memorabilia from the Cultural Revolution in China in the 1960s. The Cultural Revolution was an attempt by Chairman Mao to bring a new ideology of respect for the Communist regime, and citizens were 'encouraged' to wear badges depicting their leader as part of an everyday dress code. It's one of history's most striking examples of when objects were invested with enormous significance, but also of how such imposition of meaning can easily be reinterpreted throughout the object's life..

Diary for 5th June to 11th June 2008

THURSDAY 5TH JUNE - East meets West

Anthropologists often investigate the construction of stereotypes, and perhaps no stereotype has been more widely discussed than the concept of orientalism. Orientalism, since it was famously written about in 1978 by the sociologist Edward Said, has been understood as the stereotypical representation of the east by western artists and academics. It's now the subject of a new exhibition at the Tate Britain - 'The Lure of the East' - in which a collection of paintings produced between 1780 and 1930 will be on show, as a way of understanding how western artists responded to the landscapes, peoples and cultures of the Near and Middle East. Tickets are £10, or £8 for students and there are a series of associated events - look out for pointers on the blog in coming weeks.






FRIDAY 6TH JUNE - Going Dutch

I'm going out on a limb this weekend and heading over to Amsterdam for the Beeld voor Beeld documentary film festival that's currently being held there. An annual event, the festival claims to stand at the crossroads between visual anthropology, politics and documentary and believes that film represents a powerful means to question and challenge our preconceptions and prejudices. Quoting an eminent Belgian anthropologist, Luc de Heusch, the organisers hope that “Anthropology is a game for the brain that could be developed towards a better understanding of human societies”. You can see for yourself over four days of films which range in subject matter from the 'fringes of Europe' to 'rituals surrounding death'. It is one of a number of visual anthropology festivals held around the world each year - for more information and to get planning see here.




SATURDAY 7TH JUNE - Monkeying around at the library

Recently on the blog I've been mentioning events that relate to storytelling and how it can give a telling insight into a particular community or aspect of society. Currently showing at the British Library is the opportunity to discover one of the most elaborate and well-known stories in existence - the Ramayana. The Ramayana is one of Hinduism's central texts and has had a profound influence on the art, culture and philosophy of the regions it has reached. Over 120 paintings from the Library's archives will be on show, depicting Prince Rama's attempts to rescue his wife with the help of an army of monkeys. You can view a selection of images from the collection online, which include exhibits borrowed from other institutions such as the anthropological Horniman Museum. The exhibition runs until mid-September and admission is FREE.



SUNDAY 8TH JUNE - Cries from the margins

Today I'm heading along to a special event hosted by Human Rights Watch at the Royal Haymarket Theatre in London. 'Cries from the Heart' is an opportunity to learn about the experience of people who have lived under dictatorial regimes - it's an event that has been going for a few years now and seeks to highlight the voices of those who, because of political oppression, have lived at the margins of society or been displaced. There are also performances from the likes of Ian Mckellen and Colin Firth. Tickets can be obtained from the Human Rights Watch website and the seats in the Gallery are cheapest at £20 - you can also reserve a place by emailing erin.ratazzi@hrw.org. Anthropology often studies the areas at the margins of the 'state' as a way of understanding how societies work, so it should be an evening well worth attending.


MONDAY 9TH JUNE - The world in Liverpool

I'm branching out today and going along to a museum I've heard about over in Liverpool - the World Museum. It has one of the most impressive collections of ethnographic objects in the UK. The 'Human World' section of the museum is divided geographically into four areas - Africa, Asia, the Americas and Oceania and the curators have tried to ensure that the relationship between the objects on display and their origins is clearly explained. There's also an interactive section of their website to test your knowledge of the objects, and world cultures more generally. The museum is open daily between 10.00 and 17.00 and entrance is FREE.





TUESDAY 10TH JUNE - Plan the future of anthropology

A unique chance to conribute to the future of anthropology is on offer today at the Royal Anthropological Institute. The Education Officer there is holding a half-day workshop to discuss new ways in which the RAI could engage young people in anthropology, with the opportunity for attendees to suggest ideas for future projects, events and workshops. The event is primarily aimed at current undergraduate or postgraduate students of anthropology, or at least those who have some prior experience of the subject. It begins at 11.00 and lasts until mid-afternoon, comprising a combination of interactive exercises (along the lines of De Bono's thinking hats method), film screenings, a Q&A as well as an optional tour of the Institute. Refreshments and an anthropological goodie bag are also on offer - to book a FREE place contact Nafisa Fera, the Education Officer on education@therai.org.uk or 0207 387 0455.




WEDNESDAY 11TH JUNE - First contact

You may have noticed last week the news that a previously uncontacted tribe had been photographed in the midst of the Amazon Jungle in Brazil. Many anthropologists spend their careers working with and for indigenous peoples, as evidenced by their involvement with last years' Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the UN. They are also very concerned with the way indigenous people are portrayed and represented since often this leaves a lot to be desired, with the widespread use of terms such as 'primitive' and 'stoneage' by the mainstream media. Indeed, the organisation Survival International (which has a number of ex-anthropology students on its staff) runs a campaign against the use of these terms, and has also recently made a film on the issue which you can watch online.