AnthroCurrents – January 17, 2017

Hello NAPA family,

After a brief hiatus and some technical issues, AnthroCurrents is back!  My name is Julia Wignall, and I am joining the NAPA communications team as the new AnthroCurrents writer.  My immediate predecessor Walter Pond has done an amazing job and certainly left me some fun and challenging shoes to fill!  You can read a bit more about me in a previous, introductory blog posting on this site. Now, let’s review some recent examples of anthropology in the mass media:

Can anthropologists help find the disappeared?  Forensic anthropologist Roxana Enriquez Farias founded a nonprofit organization in Mexico to assist families whose loved ones have vanished, and helps bring justice to victims.

Forensic anthropologists are now using geometric morphometrics to determine the gender of, for example, handprints left by  40,000 year-old artists.  During the same time era, anthropologists have reached the conclusion that Neanderthals in Belgium were cannibals.  It is hoped that one did not inspire the other.

Anthropology is for the birds? Anthropologist Barbara King reflects on the dynamic system of swooping starlings in murmuration.  Watch the video.  So cool.

Two anthropologists at U Florida who specialize in genetics find that systemic racism impacts the health of African Americans rather than genetic predisposition.   Reminded me of Melissa Harris-Parry’s talk at AAA in November. Along the same lines, an Australian researcher discusses the AAA member survey responses to questions about our views of race classification in science. The results are reassuring until you dig a little deeper…

AnthroCurrents is a biweekly look at how the world sees anthropology. Add your comments below, or send tips and links via our Contact Us page. Follow on Twitter (@NapaAnthro), Facebook (@NAPA.Anthro), or LinkedIn (National Association for the Practice of Anthropology).