Lucy Special: The upcoming ESRC Festival of Social Science

I'm posting a special Anthropologist About Town blog, to let you know about The ESRC Festival of Social Science which is coming up in less than two weeks and give you a head start in booking your tickets to free social science events around the UK.

The ESRC Festival of Social Science takes place annually in March. The festival provides an opportunity for organisations around the UK to share their research, and organise events and activities which demonstrate the importance and impact social science has on our everyday lives.

This year's festival will take place from the 12th- 21st March. There are events all over the country, some which are suitable for schools, others for people with a specific knowledge/interest in the topic, for professionals, and for a general public audience. To find out more about all the events visit the ESRC Festival website.

The Festival has some great events that are open to the general public. Below are a few highlights.


12th -13th March- Focus on Low Carbon Living

Students across the UK have been exploring how energy functions in their daily lives, and what steps can be taken to reduce energy use or be more energy-efficient. Science Oxford Live hosts an exhibition of their photographic and/or artistic results, and investigate how students' work can help us to focus on what Low Carbon Living would actually mean. The event is taking place at the Meeting Place, University of Oxford. For more information and to book your free ticket contact jennifer.otoadese@ouce.ox.ac.uk




13th March- Exploring Privacy: Your privacy and the internet

Based on a three year collaborative research project, Royal Holloway University of London are hosting an event which encourages participants to share their views about online identity and privacy. Taking place at the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens the event begins with a short performance followed by a discussion and interactive activity to record participants' thoughts and conclusions. For more information and to book your free place contact Claire Hudson at: Claire.hudson@rhhul.ac.uk






15th March - Memories of Medical Research in Africa: a photography exhibition

The Anthropologies of African Biosciences Research Group presents an exhibition exploring the social life of medical research in Africa. Photographs, short films and artwork evoke historical and contemporary experiences of research participants, workers and communities. The evening opening event includes an introduction to the exhibition, music and a free glass of wine. The event will take place at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's Cafe. To book your free place email Gemma Jones at gemma.jones@lshtm.ac.uk/ 020 7927 2663








16th- 18th March- Water Cultures: discovering the meaning of water through film

Water cultures offers participants an opportunity to take a glimpse at communities around the worlds whose livelihoods are being threatened by fresh water scarcity, and who are drawing upon local knowledge to find solutions to their predicament.

Format: A brief introduction about the ESRC Festival, the film, and film maker, followed by the screening and a Q&A session.

Time: 6:30-8:30pm

Location: The Royal Anthropological Institute's Screening Room

Free snacks and drinks will be provided. To book your free place visit: www.discoveranthropology.org.uk or email Nafisa Fera, the RAI's Education Officer at education@therai.org.uk /020 7387 0455




16th March 6:30pm - The Water Goddess and the Computer
Screening followed by Q&A with Andre Singer

Film makers: Andre Singer and Stephen Lansing, Colour, 52 minutes, 1989

The film demonstrates how in Bali, development projects can threaten a carefully balanced ecological irrigation system that is maintained by temple priests. A biologist and an anthropologist look at the traditional irrigation system and show through the use of a computer how it works. They then present the computer system to the temple priests as an aid to explore the effects of changes in the traditional irrigation system.



17th March 6:30pm- Drowned Out
Screening followed by Q&A with Hugh Brody

Director: Franny Armstrong, colour, 72 mins, 2002

An Indian family decide to stay at home and drown rather than make way for the Narmada Dam. They are faced with three choices: move to the slums in the city; accept a place at the resettlement site; or stay at home and drown. The people of Jalsindhi in central India must make a decision fast. In the next few weeks, their village will disappear underwater as the giant Narmada Dam fills. Bestselling author Arudhati Roy joins the fight against the dam and asks difficult questions such as: Will the water go to poor farmers or rich industrialists? What happened to the 16 million people displaced by fifty years of dam building? Why should I care? Drowned Out follows the Jalsindhi villagers through hunger strikes, rallies, police brutality and a six year Supreme Court case.


18th March 6:30pm- Little Waterfall
Screening followed by Q&A with Joshka Wessel

Film maker: Joshka Wessel, colour, 52 mins, 2003

Little Waterfall is a small village on the edge of the desert in Northern Syria. Life in Little Waterfall is made possible by the use of a 1500-year old Byzantine water tunnel. However, decades of migration and family conflicts caused the tunnel's maintenance to be ignored. Mohammed Musa spent all his life in Little Waterfall. He does not have irrigation rights and he resents the way irrigation rights are sold by others. He undertakes a project to clean the tunnel in order to safeguard the water supply, and pursue his own interests.



20th March- The Meaning of Water

Time: 10:00am-4:00pm

Location: HMS President Boat, Victoria Embankment, EC4Y, London

The Meaning of Water aims to raise public awareness of research and development projects undertaken by anthropologists, social scientists, and NGOs in the UK and abroad. Through presentations, films and exhibitions, the event explores two main themes: 1) access, advocacy and fresh water management; and 2) sustainability and livelihoods. The event addresses questions such as: how are communities finding local solutions to water scarcity? In what ways can we decrease our water footprint? What are the repercussions of water being treated as a commodity rather than as a common right? We hope that through this event participants will better understand our local and global interdependent relationship to water and foster collaboration between associated groups of individuals.

To book your free place visit: www.discoveranthropology.org.uk or email Nafisa Fera, the RAI's Education Officer at education@therai.org.uk / 020 7387 0455

Diary for 25th February to 31st February 2010

THURSDAY 25th February - RAI's International Meaning of Water Photo Contest

Last week I posted news about the RAI's Meaning of Water International Photo Contest. Since then, I have received questions as to whether or not professional anthropologists and photography students are able to enter the contest. The answer is yes. The contest welcomes photographs from anyone with a passion for photography and anthropology. Professional photographers however, are not eligible. To find out more about the contest and download an application form visit: www.discoveranthropology.org.uk



FRIDAY 26th February- 13 Moon Screenings

The Native Spirit Foundation in collaboration with SOAS Students' Union present regular evening film screenings & talks promoting the cultures of indigenous people taking place every full moon. Tonight at 6pm in Room G2 at SOAS three films will be shown: Meet the Preak, a film about a unique man in New Zealand who questions the need to be part of 'modern society' ; the second film is called 13 Pueblos, Defending Water, Air & Land, and looks at a group of indigenous communities in Mexico working collectively to protect their land. The final film Alcatraz is not an island looks at a group of Native American students and activists who in 1969 decided to occupy Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. Admission is £6 or £3 for students.



SATURDAY 27th February- Brighton Science Festival

As part of the Brighton Science Festival from10-6pm today in the Sallis Benney Theatre (56-58 Parade) there will games, talks, debates and fun activities for all ages aimed at celebrating the diversity of science. There are some fascinating discussions, such as The Lying Ape, led by body language expert Harry Witchel. Harry teachers you how to 'read' body language and decipher when people are lying to you or telling the truth. Tickets for the day are 10 pounds or 6 pounds concession. To find out more about the festival's programme visit: www.BrightonScience.com




SUNDAY 28th February- Global Empires Post-Graduate Research Project

The University of Aberdeen is offering funding for a number of Masters and PhD studentships within their interdisciplinary project on 'Ideas, Practices, and Impacts of Global Empire'. The project is being overseen by a supervisory team drawn from History, Anthropology, Hispanic Studies, International Relations, and the University's museums. The project is interested in a number of themes: cross cultural encounters and collecting; material culture and visual representations of encounters; trade, migration, and empire; the ideologies of empires; and resistance and the ends of empires. The closing date for applications is 30th April 2010. Visit this website for more information.








MONDAY 1st March- ISEFF Ethnographic Film Festival

Goldsmith's International Student Ethnographic Film Festival festival is starting tomorrow (2nd March). The festival focuses on collaborations and engagements between anthropologists, filmmakers and their 'subjects' in ethnographic films. Running for three days (2nd-4th March) the festival has a diverse range of films for its' three main themes: faces, places and spaces. For more information visit:www.iseff.co.uk/





TUESDAY 2nd March- The Giant Buddhas

Today I am heading to UCL's Institute of Archaeology Lecture Theatre to see the award- winning film 'The Giant Buddhas' by Christian Frei. Produced by independent Swiss film maker and producer Chris Frei, the film tells the story of the destruction of the famous Bayiman Buddha Statues in Afghanistan, and reflects on issues of faith, fanaticism, terror, tolerance, ignorance and identity. The screening starts at 6:15. Entrance is free and all are welcome.





WEDNESDAY 3rd March- Online access to archival material: taking a longterm perspective

Today I am going to reserve a free place for tomorrow's 4th March seminar at the Centre for Anthropology at the British Museum. The seminar is entitled: Mission 21/Basel Mission- Longterm Perspectives of Web Access. The seminar focuses on the history and process of digitisation of archival photographs, maps and manuscripts of the Basel Mission in Switzerland. Anthropologist and historical photo curator, Barbara Frey-Naf will be speaking about the significance of the collection as a resource for academic research in cultural anthropology, geography, history and environmental sciences. The seminar is free and open to all. Advanced booking required. To book your free place email:JAyres@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk

Diary for 18th February to 24th February

THURSDAY 18th February: Burmese Sign Language

Dr. Justin Watkins is a Senior Lecturer at SOAS, specialising in Burmese and Mon-Khmer Languages. His research interests include experimental and acoustic phonetics; computer lexicography; and minority languages of South East Asia. Today from 4-6pm at the ESRC Deafness Cognition and Language Centre (DCAL) he will talk about his fieldwork in Burma and some of his preliminary findings on Burmese sign language. The talk will take place at the DCAL library (49 Gordon Square). Entrance is free and everyone is welcome.





FRIDAY 19th February: Where Dreams Cross

WhiteChapel Gallery in collaboration with Fotomuseum and Green Cardamon present an exhibition entitled Where Three Dreams Cross: 150 years of photography from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Spanning from the 19th century to modern day, the exhibition tells the story of photography's development in the subcontinent and how the countries have been visually depicted by the lens of their photographers. Over 400 works are being displayed along five themes: self-representation, family relationships, political voice, and performing arts. The exhibition runs until the 11th April 2010. Today from 2-5pm, a series of panel speakers will explore the meaning, historical and cultural significance of this exhibition. Tickets are £10 or £8 concession. Booking is essential. To find out more and book your ticket visit this website.


SATURDAY 20th February: Warriors of the Plains

Today I am heading to the British Museum to take a look at a fantastic exhibition that explores Native Americans way of life from the 1800s to the present day. The exhibition includes cultural objects such as tomahawks, headdresses, rattles, and painted hides which highlight social life based around the politics of warfare. Ceremonial artefacts and weapons, also demonstrate how members of the tribe can defend themselves and inspire their awe and authority to the rest of their people. By demonstrating the transition of these objects from past to present and how they are used today, the exhibition reminds visitors of the cultural significance of material objects in continuing the legacy and identity of a particular community. The exhibition is free. All are welcome.



SUNDAY 21st February: RAI's 'Meaning of Water' Photo Contest

The Royal Anthropological Institute's Education Department has recently launched an international photo contest which explores human relationships with water. The contest is open to secondary school students, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and anyone interested in anthropology, excluding professional photographers. The contest is looking for photos (either black and white or coloured) which illustrate the following themes: 1) Livelihoods & Sustainability 2) Trade & Transport 3) Management & Access 4) Religion & Spirituality. For information on prizes, submission guidelines and regulations visit: www.discoveranthropology.org.uk






MONDAY 22nd February: Film-making for Fieldwork

If you are interested in ethnographic or documentary film making or how to incorporate film into your anthropological research, the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology in collaboration with the University of Manchester Media Centre offer practical courses in May and June 2010. The courses are aimed particularly at postgraduate students but undergraduates and senior researchers are welcome to join. Take a look here, to find out more about the courses and how to apply.




TUESDAY 23rd February: The Hermit Dwellers

From February through March 2010, UCL's Centre of Museums, Heritage and Material Culture is showing a series of documentary films on museums and heritage. Tonight's film The Hermitage Dwellers is produced by Aliona Van Der Horst and explores the connections between the lives of the people who work in Russia's most renowned museum and the art that it houses. The screening will take place at the Institute of Archaeology Lecture Theatre (31-34 Gordon Square) starting at 6:15pm. Free and open to all.




WEDNESDAY 24th February: Visual ethnography, Albania and the Balkans

Running until the 4th of July, the Pitt Rivers Museum is displaying the drawings and photographs of Edith Durham (1863-1944). Edith was a British traveller, artist, and writer who became widely known for her anthropological accounts of Albania and the Balkans in the early 20th century. Edith developed her artistic talents at the Royal Academy of Arts, and when she was 37 took her first trip to the Balkans. She continued to travel to the Balkans for over twenty years, focusing particularly on Albania. Admission is free. All welcome.

Voila Mes Amis!

DISCOVER ANTHROPOLOGY WEBSITE IS NOW LIVE!

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


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

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



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

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









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

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

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







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











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

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

A bientot!

January Freezes for February's Present!

Happy New Year Everyone!

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

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

The countdown begins..

I hope you enjoy it!
Lucy.

XMAS AND NEW YEARS BREAK !

Dear readers,

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

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

The blog will be back up from January 6th 2010

Bon Voyage and see you in the New Year!

Diary for 10th December to 16th December 2009

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

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

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

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




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






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

Susanne Hammacher (Film Officer at the RAI)

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

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

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

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

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


Here are the results of the contest:

1st Place:

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




Tied at 2nd Place:

Laura Jane Foldesi for her submission 'Lost in Translation'

Jordan Reck for his submission 'Hard Science'



Tied at 3rd Place:

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

David King for his submission 'The Globalised Shaman'

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

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

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

Peter Eckmann for his submission 'Research Project'

Matteo Farinella for his submission: 'Anthropological Walk'

Rory McGrath for his submission: 'Ethnographic Reflexivity'

Elizabeth Marks for her submission: 'Homework'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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