AnthroCurrents – July 24, 2015

A biweekly look at recent stories on anthropology and practicing anthropologists in the popular media Anthropologist Jason Hickel of the London School of Economics punctures the dream that microfinance will help alleviate poverty. You may have heard that the U.S. military’s HTS (Human Terrain Systems) program is no more. You can read this nice overview…

AnthroCurrents – July 10, 2015

A biweekly look at recent stories on anthropology and practicing anthropologists in the popular media In case you’re sleeping too well at night, read anthropologist Hugh Gusterson’s piece on the American cultural traits that make us most vulnerable to a nuclear accident. It’s an unsettling laundry list of human weaknesses that includes America’s tendency to…

AnthroCurrents – May 15, 2015

A biweekly look at recent stories on anthropology and practicing anthropologists in the popular media Anthropologist Scott Atran addressed the United Nations Security Council on ISIS’ success in recruiting. You can read the highlights (and see a link to the video) in this New York Magazine article. Canada’s Metro reports on Ford’s first cultural anthropologist,…

AnthroCurrents – May 1, 2015

A biweekly look at recent stories on anthropology and practicing anthropologists in the popular media Salon covers Fareed Zakaria’s defense of a liberal arts education on The Daily Show and includes a video clip. Rick Scott is probably sorry he ever said the word “anthropology” at this point. The Edwardsville Intelligencer posted an article spreading…

AnthroCurrents – April 17, 2015

A biweekly look at recent stories on anthropology and practicing anthropologists in the popular media In the discussion of female circumcision we often hear the perspective of unwilling participants who seek to escape this tradition, and of course the Western perspective is easy to obtain. Recently, The Atlantic talked to anthropologist Bettina Shell-Duncan and got…

AnthroCurrents – April 3, 2015

A biweekly look at recent stories on anthropology and practicing anthropologists in the popular media South Africa’s Business Day reports on Ford’s use of social scientists to drive innovation in their product line. This desire is reportedly due in part to globalization: expanding into markets where consumers have different values and needs requires using professionals…

AnthroCurrents – March 6, 2015

A biweekly look at recent stories on anthropology and practicing anthropologists in the popular media Radio Australia offers a fascinating perspective on “alcohol-fuelled violence,” which is that it is culturally constructed. Dr. Anne Fox, founder of Galahad SMS Ltd. in the UK is featured, and her research immediately brought to mind an article I read…

AnthroCurrents – February 20, 2015

A biweekly look at recent stories on anthropology and practicing anthropologists in the popular media Seth Holmes, author of “Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies” was interviewed by PRI’s The World about his field work traveling and working with migrant laborers—from Central California and back to their home in Oaxaca, Mexico. Valentine’s Day must be anthropologist Helen…