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.

Diary for May 29th to June 4th 2008

THURSDAY MAY 29TH - Consuming consumer society

This evening I'm heading down to East London's HOST Gallery for an exhibition and talk with artist Adam Hinton. His latest collection of photographs looks at the impact of consumer society on China, and the way in which the lives of those in a rapidly changing '21st century metropolis' have changed as a result. At 18.30, there is also an opportunity to hear Adam in discussion with Chris Wright, a lecturer on the MA in Visual Anthropology at Goldsmiths University. They will be talking about the common anthropological topic of 'commodity fetishism' (essentially the desire for consumable goods) by comparing the photographs with some films made by visual anthropologist Martin Hampton - entitled 'Possessed' - about obsessive hoarders. Admission for the evening is £5 and you can reserve your place by emailing rsvp@hostgallery.co.uk - the exhibition as a whole runs until 7th June.


FRIDAY MAY 30TH - Telling tales

Tonight I'm off to another installment of the Storytelling event that I mentioned on last week's blog. At the Barbican, Dovie Thomason will be narrating Native American tales which explore the relationships between men and women, and women and their selves. Dovie has won awards for her storytelling and the manner in which she manages to "speak to listeners of today in the voices of the past". You can read more about her here. The event - 'Tales of Lakota Women' - begins at 19.30 in The Pit - tickets are £9, or £6 for students. For another example of what myths and stories can tell you about a culture, you might be interested to read more about the work of Professor Chris Knight, an anthropologist from the University of East London, who has written extensively about the importance of fairytales in society.





SATURDAY 31ST MAY - Webnography and the firelight

Following on from yesterday's storytelling spectacular, today I'll be pondering a new piece of research that suggests the recent explosion of social networking sites is a return to the hearth places of our ancestors. Just as, back in the old days, people gathered around the campfire to tell each other about their lives, today's communities increasingly use the internet to communicate similar messages - through facebook, myspace and the like. You can read the full text of anthropologist Jenny Ryan's research on her 'Virtual Campfire' website in which she discusses the interaction of these 'digital natives', and also look out for regular updates to her thinking on her blog, or as she calls it her 'webnography'. Interesting stuff...just don't burn your marshmallows.


SUNDAY 1ST JUNE - Feast of films

Another batch of films on today as part of the LIDF encore at Roxy Bar & Screen near London Bridge. First up is 'Beautiful Country' all about the toxic waste that's being illegally dumped in Italy’s beautiful Campania region. The film follows one man's quest to cut through the infamous Italian bureaucracy and change things around.
After that, in Session 2, is La Americana which follows a Bolivian woman who travels illegally to the USA to try and earn enough money to pay for her daughter's medical treatment. It's followed by Tehran Backyard - a look at the other end of life - as an elderly cleaning lady works to raise enough money to feed her large family. The screenings run from 15.00pm to 18.30 and a single ticket gets you into both sessions. Tickets are only £3, available in advance online at www.lidf.co.uk or on the door.


MONDAY 2ND JUNE - Anthropology in Wales

It's a while away but I thought I'd give a heads up for the Wales Anthropology Day 2008 that's being held later this month at the University of Wales, since you might like to get planning if you're interested in attending. It's a chance for those who might like to study anthropology at university to learn about the many different branches of the subject, and go along to workshops where anthropologists will talk about their work, ranging from 'bling culture', to life as a army marine and shamanism in indigenous society. There is also a film screening at the end of the day, going behind the scenes to discuss the merits of the recent, and very popular, TV series 'Tribe'. The event is free to attend - for more information you can Email s.hurn@lamp.ac.uk, otherwise just fill in the booking form online and you're ready to head for the valleys!



TUESDAY 3RD JUNE - Boxing clever

Today I'm going to listen again to last week's Thinking Allowed on Radio 4 that continued its series of looks at urban environments. In discussion with ethnographer Loic Waquant, the programme examined the renowned Harlem district of New York City, and whether the way it is commonly described as a 'ghetto' stands up to closer scrutiny. Professor Waquant will also be talking about his research into boxing - for several years he was an amateur fighter - initially as a way of conducting ethnographic research in certain areas of Chicago. His lengthy (ten year!) study in and around the sport was an attempt to understand why so many young men loved the sport - ultimately he concluded it was "the sheer sensuous, aesthetic and moral experience of being embedded in that universe". You can read more about him here, as well as have a look at his book on boxing online here.


WEDNESDAY 4TH JUNE - Migrating to the Tate

Today I'll be popping along to an interesting looking exhibition of photography and film that's opening at Tate Britain in London. 'This is that Place' is a selection of work from Mitra Tabrizian, an Iranian-British artist who focuses on themes of nomadism, migration and homeland...both areas of study common to anthropology. Such spheres of society - where people are living on margins or 'faultlines', are often crucial for understanding the wider functioning of a community so it should be fascinating to see some of these works, many of which come from Tehran - a place more sterotyped than most in the mainstream media. The exhibition runs from today until mid-August, and is open daily. You might also be interested in this book of Tabrizian's work, and it's well worth checking out her website which has a fair amount of her work uploaded.

Diary for May 22nd to May 28th 2008

THURSDAY MAY 22ND MAY – Fiesta Quest

Rumour has it Thursday is the new Friday so today I’m heading over to a talk at Canning House - the cultural centre based in East London – being given by writer Simon Pritchard all about fiestas... For several months he toured Spain attending local cultural festivities as part light-hearted anthropological investigation, part mid-life crisis. His experiences included vertigo-inducing pole climbing, and more masochistically being beaten with burning torches. Although the extent of his cultural analysis in his appreciation of the Spanish ‘genius for celebration’ remains to be seen, the endeavour does at the very least seem to have been done with a fair degree of participant-observation! And celebrations or rituals are frequently a way in for anthropologists to understand another culture, so it should be an intreseting and fresh perspective on the subject. The talk begins at 18.30 in Canning Town and entrance costs £7.

FRIDAY MAY 23RD MAY - Getting street for the camera

In an effort to boost Lucy’s street cred, today I’m off to a show of urban photography at the Tate Modern offering a pictorial history of both the street and studio, aiming to expose the differences in imagery that arise from using these two locations. Context and representation are of huge importance to anthropologists so anything that gets you thinking about those issues can’t help but be useful. Moreover, the collection includes work by photographers often studied on Visual Anthropology courses thanks to their sensitive approaches to the human subject, including Robert Mapplethorpe and Diane Arbus. Arbus has been labelled a producer of ‘contemporary anthropology’ because of her attempts to engage her subjects more closely and consciously in the photographic dialogue – you can read more in this article. Street & Studio is on until the end of August and entrance costs £8 for students.

SATURDAY MAY 24^TH - Silk & Sculpture

Come Saturday I’ll be down at the Horniman Museum in South London for the start of two new, linked exhibitions. ‘China: Symbols in Silk’ does what it says on the tin – it’s a collection of historic silk textiles from the region, including clothing and religious items. It’s hosted in the Balcony Gallery, in combination with ‘A Mirrored Community’ in the Gallery Square - an art installation by artist ‘Hale Man’ in collaboration with the Chinese communities of South London. The works in this latter exhibition are inspired by the former, and also includes objects and photographs. Both run until the beginning of September – for more thoughts on the anthropology of clothes, also have a look at Monday’s entry.

SUNDAY MAY 25^TH - Community with Chomsky

On Sunday I’m off to see a new exhibition at the Tate St. Ives by community artist Adam Chodsko. Over the past 17 years, he has put together an assortment of video, performance, posters, sculpture, sound, photography and other media, all created in collaboration with peripheral communities who “define themselves through their own rituals and folklore. He combines traditional inspiration with his own creative bent to tell stories about the communities’ lives, as well a fictional Carnival ritual imagined at some point in the future. The exhibition runs until 21^st September and entrance is £5.75 or FREE if you’re under 18.

MONDAY MAY 26^TH – Not just a hand-me-down

Back down at the Horniman today for another new exhibition – ‘India Recycled’ which looks at how cast-off clothes, as well as old saris (for those of you who don’t wear them already!), are recycled in northern India. The journey of the clothes is told through photographs and is based on some recent anthropological fieldwork, which looked at how clothing is passed between different social and economic groups, and how in doing so how its ‘value’ alters depending on the owner. You might also want to have a read of ‘Old Clothes, New Looks’ which examines the history of trading in second hand clothes throughout the ages, including examples from places as diverse as Ireland, Zambia and Hong Kong, and movements from ‘vintage’ in the USA to ‘neo-mod retro-sixties German subculture’. Sounds funky. The exhibition runs until 25^th January next year, and entrance is FREE – make sure you look out for associated events on the blog in the coming months.

TUESDAY MAY 27^TH - Doing the Gormley-Sutra

Anthony Gormley, the famous British artist who draws a lot of his inspiration from his studies and interest in anthropology, returns tonight with a performance piece in which he has collaborated with other well-renowned composers and choreographers. ‘Sutra’ is showing at Sadler’s Wells in London, showcasing the agility and abilities of Buddhist Shaolin Monks. Gormley was instrumental in providing the environment for the show, which runs until Saturday at 19.30, with tickets on sale from £10 upwards. You can watch clips of the show here and also on youtube, as well as reading an article about the subject here.

Also, a reminder today that places for the London Anthropology Day 2008 are almost full up. The day is a fantastic opportunity to learn why Gormley and others (see above) were so inspired and fascinated by anthropology with a series of introductory workshops and talks. To book your place, and also learn more about other valuable resources on the subject, check out the website for lots of information.

WEDNESDAY MAY 28^TH - Eternal stories

As I mentioned on last week’s blog, stories and storytelling are crucial to many societies since they act as a way for the members to understand themselves and each other. For outsiders they also provide a really useful way of learning how those communities work. Today, there’s a fantastic opportunity to hear two Native American storytellers from Lakota in the USA, Robert Owens-Greygrass and Dovie Thomason, narrating their traditional tales. Their stories explore the whole spectrum of existence, from the differences between men and women, to those between earth and sky – acting as an “essential place where dreams, magic, stories and reality meet.” Tonight in The Barbican at 19.30, Owens-Greygrass will be singing ‘An Evening of Gifts’ - songs about balancing an unbalanced world – which is also preceded by a talk with two other experts about the impact of Native American literature on oral & written traditions across the globe. Attendance for the evening costs £9 for adults and £6 for students.

Diary for 15th May to 21st May 2008

THURSDAY MAY 15TH - Saving the Forest

This evening I'm going to a film screening at the Royal Geographical Society, where a new film called 'People of the Forest' is showing. It looks at the campaigns by a forest-reliant Indonesian community to salvage their land from the attentions of illegal logging companies. The film is directed by Gavin Searle, who was responsible for much of the recent television series Tribe which looked at indigenous communities around the world, and was made with the advice (and criticism!) of anthropologists. Gavin also studied visual anthropology at the Granada Centre in Manchester. This film was made in collaboration with the activist organisation 'Environmental Investigation Agency', who will also be on hand to answer any questions about the subject. It begins at 18.00 in the RGS and admission is FREE, though you should contact the organisers beforehand on ukinfo@eia-international.org or by ringing 0207 354 7960.






FRIDAY MAY 16TH - Persian photography

On Friday I'm heading back to my spiritual home - the Pitt-Rivers Museum in Oxford - for a dose of their latest exhibition of photographic prints from Persia taken at the end of the 1800's. Taken by Antoin Sevruguin, they offer a rarely-seen insight into life in and around Tehran at that time. As you can read in this book about the man, he aimed to produce a photographic inventory of the people of the region. This is, therefore, an invaluable resource to academics - although anthropologists might questions the extent to which it is possible to represent a people merely through a visual catalogue! If you stick around in Oxford, you might also fancy going to their latest night of 'light and sound'. On Saturday evening you can explore the museum's anthropological collections by torch light for FREE.


SATURDAY MAY 17TH - Shedding light on Africa

This weekend I'm heading to the October Gallery in Central London for the Angaza Africa exhibition, showcasing the work of 12 African artists as representative of contemporary African art. This afternoon at 15.00 there's also a talk by the editor of a book about the collection, Chris Spring (also curator of the Africa Galleries at The British Museum), who will be discussing the work with some of the artists. And following Chris at 16.30 will be a screening of 'This is My Africa' - a film that gives voice to a selection of people who have lived, worked or traveled in Africa. You can book ahead for both events by contacting rosalind@octobergallery.co.uk or telephoning 0207 242 7367. The exhibition as a whole is open Tuesday to Saturday until 17.30 and runs until the end of June - admission is FREE.



SUNDAY MAY 18TH - Documentary encore

This afternoon I'm off to the second installment of what promises to be a great series of documentary film highlights from the recent London International Documentary Festival, which has a strong anthropological leaning. The first film showing today is Fighting the Silence, about the horrific episodes of rape that occurred during the Congolese civil war. It is followed in Session 2 by three shorter films, including 'Possessed' made by director Martin Hampton as part of his MA in Visual Anthropology at Goldsmiths College. The whole event lasts from 15.00 until 18.30, at the Roxy Bar & Screen near London Bridge, and tickets cost £3 for which you can stay as long as you like. If you are unable to make it, you can still view films from other students on the MA, on the Goldsmiths webpage here.


MONDAY MAY 19TH - Dreaming of art

Storytelling is an integral part of almost every society on earth, so the new exhibition at Art-Space Gallery in Mayfair should be a fascinating one. It is a collection of paintings by some of Australia's foremost indigenous artists, and is being put on in association with the Muk Muk Aboriginal Art organisation from down under. The paintings celebrate the Aborigine craft of storytelling, which has been studied by many an anthropologist - you might want to read this article for a brief introduction to the subject. The exhibition runs until the 25th May between 11.00 and 18.00, with some of the artists being available to answer questions if you're lucky enough to be there at the right time.


TUESDAY MAY 20TH - Getting up to nothing

I don't feel much like going out today - it's all become a bit too much. Which is ideal in a way, because I can listen again to an episode of Thinking Allowed from last week which investigated the large number of Japanese teenagers who withdraw completely from social life and spend months on their own in their room. Called hikikomori (meaning 'being confined'), they have bemused many researchers over the years, who have attributed their reclusive behaviour to anything from hopelessness brought on by economic downturn to overbearing academic pressure. An anthropologist, James Robertson, has written a book that, in part, examines the phenomenon, and there are also a number of interesting articles on the web. No need to go out at all then.


WEDNESDAY MAY 21ST - In from the cold

The Arctic is frequently in the news these days because of its importance in the debate over climate change, but it has long been a location for academic interest - and the exhibition I'm off to this morning seems especially relevant to today's concerns. Held in the Museum of Archaeology and Anthroplogy in Cambridge, 'Arctic Passages' follows the 1934 Wordie Arctic Expedition with a collection of visual artefacts from a Cambridge professor's trips to the region, which included extensive research the Inuit people's society and culture. There are films and photographs, as well as some of the clothing worn by the expedition participants. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10.30 until 16.30 and entrance is FREE.

Diary for 8th May to 14th May 2008

THURSDAY 8TH MAY - Addressing dress

This evening I'm going along to the annual Malinowski lecture at the London School of Economics, which this year is being given by Emma Tarlo, an anthropologist from Goldsmiths College, London. Dr Tarlo's research has focussed on issues of dress and the role of clothing in society, including long periods spent in India - see her book Clothing Matters for more information. Currently, however, she is doing important work on Muslim dress in Europe - or what she calls "an anthropology of appearances". Her work questions stereotypical viewpoints that claim religious dress is a threat towards social unity and progress with a more considered, and community-based, understanding. The talk begins at 18.00 in the Hong Kong lecture theatre - entrance is FREE and open to all.


FRIDAY 9TH MAY - Champagne supernovas

Dubbed 'The Professor of Indie Rock', Wendy Fonarow is an American anthropologist who has just published a book all about the UK indie music scene, and the rituals she has observed during many nights of gig-going. Sounds like hard work! Her book, entitled 'Empire of Dirt: The Aesthetics and Rituals of British Rock Music' makes many fascinating claims, from comparing Glastonbury mud baths to Papua New Guinean ritualised suffering, to the sexualised way in which screaming fans are represented. On the book's website you can listen to interviews with Wendy, as well as some slightly random Norweigian footage on the subject, and there's also a myspace page for up-to-the-minute information. Crowd surfing will never be the same again.




SATURDAY 10TH MAY - Longinotto on screen

There's a relatively rare chance to see one of famous director Kim Longinotto's documentaries today, as 'Hold me tight, let me go' is screening at the National Film Theatre - it's part of a weekend of film highlights from the London Film Festival last year. Longinotto's style of film-making uses a high degree of observation, and she's also very concerned what her contributors think about how they've been portrayed, as you can read in this interview. You can also watch some of her other films such as 'Divorce Iranian Style' here. 'Hold me tight...' is showing in the NFT2 at 18.20 - tickets will set you back £8.60.



SUNDAY 11TH MAY - You are never alone...

Anthropologists generally study groups of people, since more than one person is normally considered necessary to create a social happening. But you'd be wrong in thinking that the lives of individuals are not important, especially when they have remained outside mainstream society for some time. So when I was listening to a Radio 4 programme last week abut a daleswoman from the North Pennines, I started thinking about the issue of solitude and loneliness. The programme featured a woman who had lived in rural poverty for much of her life until a TV crew arrived to make a film about her in the 1970s - a kind of 'first contact' that dramatically changed her life. The effects of such encounters are ones anthropologists must always bear in mind when setting out on fieldwork, however remote or not the situation, so it's well worth a listen. You might also want to check out an introductory book that addresses similar issues such as 'What does it mean to be alone?' - in each chapter of Questions of Anthropology a difficult but important issue is tackled.


MONDAY 12TH MAY - Spartacus plays Jabba the Hutt

Spartacus Chetwynd must be one of the most unusually-named people with an anthropological background, so it's no surprise to learn that she is gaining a bit of a reputation in the art world. As you can read from this recent newspaper article, her work borrows substantially from anthropology in its attempts to subvert cultural 'cliches', albeit in a slightly offbeat way! For example, one performance she put on aimed to move away from the 'orientalist' representation of Jabba the Hutt from Star Wars, and instead present him as a smooth ladies' man...You can currently see some of her work at the Martian Museum of Terrestrial Art at the Barbican - an alien's eye view of worldly life. The exhibition runs until May 18th and entrance costs £6 for students, £8 full price. For more information on her wider work as an artist you can view her entry at the Saatchi Gallery.


TUESDAY 13TH MAY - Going on a summer holiday?

In theory, an outsider might think anthropology and tourism have lots in common. Thankfully, in most cases, the practice is somewhat different, but the two endeavours still have several things that link them - not least their interaction with issues of globalisation. Which explains why tonight I'll be heading along to a lecture in Brick Lane's Vibe Bar in East London all about 'Tourism, Leisure and Mobility' in the world today. As well as discussing the whys and wherefores of tourism's links to climate change, Dr Jim Butcher will also be discussing the social impacts of eco-tourism in contrast to package holidays - his perspective is a challenging and arguably controversial one, as you can see from on of his books. For more specific information on anthropology's links to tourism, then you might also want to take a look at this introductory guide.


WEDNESDAY 14TH MAY - Thinking of Iran

This evening I'll be at SOAS in London for an evening focusing on contemporary, popular Iranian culture. On show will be a series of short films recently made in collaboration with noted Iranian film-maker Rakhshan Bani-Eternad by a group of young film-makers, some of whom have a background in visual anthropology. The films start at 17.00 in Room G3 of the Russell Square Buildings and entrance is FREE. Also, beginning at 17.30 are a couple of seminars entitled 'Framing Muslims' that will explore the representation of Muslims in British society, and the problems surrounding Islamophobia. Again, the event is open to all and entrance is FREE -make your way to the Faber building for this half of the evening.

Diary for 1st May to 7th May 2008

THURSDAY 1ST MAY - Film in fragments

As anthropology has changed over the years, it has become more and more concerned with the relationship between itself, its subjects, and its audience. Tonight I'm going along to an evening called Docufragmentary - an interactive film experience that explores such theoretical issues by breaking down the boundaries between film and viewer. The idea (I think!) is that the audience will be more aware of their interpretation of the film, as well as the interconnectedness of various different parts of society, and how they impact upon a community. The project is centred around the activism of the Brazilian Landless movement. After the film, the artist Nina Simoes will be talking with another film-maker, William Raban, and the exhibition itself goes on until 16th May. To attend tonight you need to head along to the London College of Communication with a print-out of this invitation and be prepared for something different.


FRIDAY 2ND MAY - Watching the English

Since St.George's Day a little over a week ago, that heady celebration of all things English, I've been looking into a new photography project called 'We English'. It's a year-long journey the length and breadth of England by image-maker Simon Roberts, who has previously documented Russia with his camera, and it aims to understand how people "derive meaning and identity" from their leisure time and community activities. Simon will be attending a series of local events across the country in 2008 (you can suggest your own on his ideas page), and you can view pictures along the way on the website. National identity is, of course, a hotly disputed matter...for an interesting introduction to a populist-anthropology view of this green and pleasant land, it might be worth having a look at 'Watching the English' by Kate Fox.


SATURDAY 3RD MAY - Why study anthropology?!?

If my weekly ramblings aren't enough to convince you of the wealth of interesting, inspirational and socially important opportunities offered by anthropology then you might find it useful to check out the following guide to anthropology, published in The Guardian last week. Although I would say anthropology offers a slightly more involved process than 'people-watching' from a cafe, the article is useful in pointing out the skills and career options offered by the subject, as well as the variety of subject matter on offer: "from the music of African pygmies one day and the corporate culture of the car industry the next". Find out more about about some of the places where you can study anthropology here, and don't forget to sign up for this year's London Anthropology Day which I mentioned last week on the blog.


SUNDAY 4TH MAY - Capturing Colombia

Following on from a photographic trip round England (and Russia) on Friday, today I'm off - at least in the form of visual inspiration - to Colombia. 'Once more, with feeling' is a collection of film and photography on show at The Photographers' Gallery in Central London that highlights Colombia's recent history, embracing depictions of the country's notorious violence, but also the humour and energy of its youth. It should be an interesting comparison to the We-English project, especially since it is a collaboration of different artists all with their respective takes on Colombian society. The Photographers' Gallery is open daily, admission is FREE and the exhibition runs until 15th June.





MONDAY 5TH MAY - Inspirational anthropology

Today I'm going to read more about the life and times of an inspiring French anthropologist who passed away last week. Germaine Tillion combined her anthropology - she was based for some time at the famous Musee de l'homme in Paris - with operating as a resistance fighter during the Second World War. Her work is an interesting example of how anthropology can tie in with much wider political concerns, and also be of benefit to increase understanding between communities. For instance, she once said; "What made me lucid is ethnography. From the start it taught me to respect other people’s culture. We are all walled gardens that must, paradoxically, communicate with others. You need to open the doors a bit, and always keep a corner where weeds can grow." In other words, she thought that anthropology was a vitally important tool in combating ignorance and giving voice to the voiceless - stirring words indeed...


TUESDAY 6TH MAY - Women at work

On Tuesday I want to go to a film screening down at Goldsmiths University that's being partly organised by an anthropologist, John Hutnyk, from the Centre for Cultural Studies there. 'Maquilapolis' is about the lives of Mexican workers in the maquiladores (multinational factories) close to the US border, and is part of the 'We are all illegals' film season that has been running for some time there. Like many anthropological films, its production was a collaboration between the film-makers and the contributors - the factory workers and community organisers themselves. The issues of labour, globalisation and identity that it analyses are also very relevant to any budding anthropologist. The screening begins at 18.00 in the Small Hall Cinema and entrance is FREE.


WEDNESDAY 7TH MAY - Magic and amulets

Tonight I'm off to a book launch at the Institute of Jewish Studies in University College London. Maureen Bloom, an anthropologist, will be talking about her new book, 'Jewish Mysticism and Magic: an Anthropological Perspective'. The book is a study of Jewish rites and rituals, including the importance of sacrifice, amulets and naming in Judaism. There is a reception beginning at 18.15 in the Terrace restaurant followed by Maureen's talk at 18.45 in the Gustave Tuck lecture theatre - entrance is FREE.

Also today, consider heading along to the Birkbeck College Open Evening - the college runs a variety of anthropology courses both as part of an undergraduate degree course and on an evening class diploma basis for those of you with less time on your hands! You can book online here - the event is being held at the Royal National Hotel in Central London.