2014-11-25

entomophagy - Man eats bug

 [above story from travel publisher Lonely Planet]
 
Much of the world today, and surely even more in the past includes insects as food source - either seasonal find or cultivated supply.
Interestingly of the term itself, Internet declares first use of the word to date to 1975 (while the practice goes back much earlier).
 
See also visual authoring team of Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluzio 2010 Man Eats Bug, http://menzelphoto.com/books/meb.php

2014-11-12

author interview, "Lives in Ruins" (archeologists stories)

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2014/11/12/lives-of-archaeologists [radio story with author interview and links]
Essential reading for grad students and others committing to a life in archeology?

Book Excerpt: 'Lives in Ruins'

By Marilyn Johnson, http://www.marilynjohnson.net/new__i_lives_in_ruins__i__123545.htm

Chapter 1 Field School: Context is everything

Field school is a rite of passage. If you are studying archaeology, or even thinking about it, you need to apprentice yourself to an excavation specifically set up to help train field-workers. This usually takes place in a desert or jungle, a hot and often buggy place at the hottest and buggiest time of year. A century ago, field school meant signing on to a dig under the supervision of an archaeologist, who would teach you the fine art of excavating while hired locals did the hard labor. Now the locals work as translators, drivers, guides, or cooks, and the students do the heavy lifting, moving rocks and hauling dirt and slag—for instance, in a foul pit in Jordan that, back in the tenth century b.c., was a copper smelt. "I can't prove it," the lead archaeologist at that site told National Geographic, "but I think that the only people who are going to be working in this rather miserable environment are either slaves . . or undergrads." Students not only work without the prod of a whip, they pay for the privilege. Field schools got that school in their name by charging tuition, quite a lot of it, usually thousands of dollars. Where would archaeology be without these armies of toiling grads and undergrads? Are they the base of a pyramid scheme that keeps excavations going with their labor and fees?

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

eBook at amazon.com, http://www.amazon.com/Lives-Ruins-Archaeologists-Seductive-Rubble-ebook/dp/B00IHZNRQE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie

2014-10-01

abandoned civilization sites

2014-09-13

annual look at anthropology programs

Each year, the AAA compiles a comprehensive listing of academic programs, museums, government agencies, non-profits, and research firms to assist educators and students at all levels in locating information and resources. Search online nowAlternatively a soft cover copy of the 2014-2015 AnthroGuide can also be purchased for your library or college advising office through the AAA Online Store on AAA's website. Print copies are $70+S/H.
     Additionally, we want to hear from you in case you have suggestions for others who might benefit from hearing about the free resource! Please email any suggestions to help us reach parents and students who would like information on this resource. You can reach us at guide@aaanet.org [cross posting from O. Schmid at aaanet.org]

2014-07-09

cultural heritage (task force), Am.Anthro.Assoc.

created November 2013 at the American Anthropological Association [the following text comes from 2013 Annual Report]



AAA Creates CulturalHeritage Task Force
In an effort to respond to threats to both tangible and intangible heritage at both home and abroad (see sidebar), AAA, under the leadership of President Leith Mullings, created a Task Force on Cultural Heritage (TFCH) in November of 2013. The task force aims to offer critical guidelines on the many aspects of heritage management, preservation, and tourism with respect to the role of anthropology and other professionals in this arena, with the ultimate goal of increasing appreciation and understanding of cultural heritage in anthropological and public discourse and to assist the Executive Board in developing effective positions and practices on cultural heritage issues worldwide.

As noted by TFCH co-chair Susan Gillespie (U Florida) cultural heritage issues have become an increasingly important element of the cultural
landscape and loom large in the intellectual and political landscape for anthropology. These issues include continuing debates over preservation
and interpretation of historic materials, the growing heritage and tourism industries, challenges to the intangible heritage and property rights of
living communities and the loss of indigenous languages.

The task force is charged with the following:

Examining what "cultural heritage" means to different constituencies and how it relates to different areas of
anthropological inquiry in order to guide the implementation of AAA positions and practices.

Investigating how other professional associations are dealing with cultural heritage nationally and internationally and incorporate
their best practices in recommendations for new structures or formations that will allow the AAA to become and remain actively
engaged in cultural heritage issues.

Recommending ways to increase training in cultural heritage issues in undergraduate and graduate anthropology curricula and via
continuing education in other venues.

Identify sustainable means for coordinated collaboration among relevant AAA committees and sections as well as with other
professional organizations, trade associations and similar organizations involved with cultural heritage.

Recommending ways for the AAA to become a leading association for national and international dialogue and change regarding
cultural heritage, identifying the special or unique contributions the AAA can make in this regard. A blue-ribbon panel will be organized at
the 2014 AAA meeting in Washington, DC to bring together experts to contribute recommendations.

Helping to draft or coordinate advocacy letters and statements until such time as more permanent entities can carry out that task, and
devise guidelines and protocols for such letters and statements and Recommending initiatives to increase awareness of cultural
heritage issues and to educate the membership and the public about anthropological perspectives on cultural heritage and its
protection. The task force plans to have a regular column in www.anthropology-news.org to disseminate information on cultural
heritage concerns and analysis.

The task force is co-chaired by Susan Gillespie and Teresita Majewski, and other members include Sarah Cowie (U Nevada–Reno), Michael Di Giovine (West Chester U Pennsylvania), T. J. Ferguson (U Arizona), Antoinette Jackson (U South Florida), Rosemary A. Joyce (UC Berkeley), Morag Kersel (DePaul U), Richard Meyers (South Dakota State U), Stephen Nash (Denver Museum of Nature & Science) and Mark Turin (Yale U).

For more information on the TFCH, visit its webpage: www.aaanet.org/cmtes/commissions/Task-Force-on-Cultural-Heritage.cfm.

2014-07-04

death & dying, Pet Cemetery edition

Among the well-illustrated, rich subjects for articles at Atlas Obscura is death and dying (mortuary practices around the world).
But searching by country, language, culture or topic brings lots of food for thought at www.atlasobscura.com, too.

2014-06-29

land grab - Native America

interactive map shows timelapse of lands taken from earliest residents, http://hnn.us/article/156042

ossuary of Brno, CZ (50,000 souls)

Lots of pictures from wikimedia and a 3 min. video from city of Brno,

This website has an eclectic mix of visual articles from all corners of the world, searchable by topic or location.

2014-06-08

anthro in public - blog of Forensic Anthropology

In today's miscellany of visual stories at www.atlasobscura.com was a story and link to the blog of anthropologist Dolly S. whose "Strange Remains" dwells on forensic subjects. Perhaps it is an example of anthro for wider, public consumption.

2014-05-03

powers of Time Lapse photos played back

Motion picture effect is created by recording still images and playing back as a sequence of frames.

Wedding ceremony being rehearsed [seen on 3 May 2014], http://vimeo.com/93689992
The search string, http://vimeo.com/tag:time+lapse will bring up a set of projects that depict the passage of time. Common themes are clouds moving, sun setting or rising, other weather phenomena developing, growth of plants such as flowers blooming. But occasionally something more directly anthropological appears, such as the ritual of wedding (rehearsal).

2014-04-13

material culture - photo project; rubbish from home

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2014/04/12/in-photos-taking-the-lid-off-america-s-trash-cans
is a short intro to the photo & written essays and includes link to project website, http://www.glad.com/trash/waste-in-focus
 
...photojournalist Peter Menzel and writer Faith D'Aluisio's project called 'Waste in Focus'. The photo series looks at what eight families around the U.S. are recycling, composting and sending to landfill.

2014-01-22

View the world with these 40 surprising maps‏

Visual context for worldview in 40 maps: These visual treats will prompt lots of thinking and talking. Share with others keen on understanding the world and its people.

2014-01-13

lexical distances among European languages

short articles & links to ponder or prompt discussions

as seen in the January 2014 newsletter from www.nextvistalearning.org


Teacher GC explains that words are built from both meaning and structure,
and the importance of history in knowing why words are what they are. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mbuwZK0lr8

...Google maps tool for visualizing changes over time. A new site, Timelapse, takes that tool and identifies a number of the most interesting spots, as well as a field for choosing a new spot to examine. ...click on "Explore the World" at the lower right of the gray area, just before the paragraph describing the tool gets going. The Dubai one is fascinating - zoom out enough to see the palm-frond-looking extensions into the gulf. http://world.time.com/timelapse/

...comparisons and simple research on countries around the world using the World Data Atlas, a free app from the Chrome Web Store. The data choices include GDP, unemployment, birth, death, and fertility rates, and much more. You'll have to use Chrome as your browser to get it, of course. http://goo.gl/6pOYcP

This video (~14 minutes) is a promotional piece for the service organization Rotary International, and speaks of the dust storms from the Gobi Desert and the economic future of Mongolia. http://vimeo.com/21202577 

Video by a girl telling about potatoes, sprouts, and chemicals that inhibit sprouts. It may well make you think about organic produce in a new way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exBEFCiWyW0

About approaching historical levels of inequality that could breed violent class conflict. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM

For those who advocate for really high standards of testing subjects in school, consider where author Robert A. Heinlein set the bar.
   "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."