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These blog-posts are about the intersection between anthropology and politics. They are often guided by the wisdom of Michel-Rolph Trouillot in Global Transformations: Anthropology and the Modern World.

Many people believe anthropology should have nothing to do with politics or that anthropology can only analyze political configurations but not contribute to them. Others believe that their academic anthropology job is their politics. Trouillot pushed for a middle ground, an academia that was not explicitly political while insisting that anthropologists should have academic projects outside of academia. As Trouillot once commented in a seminar, an academic anthropology job is not activism: “You can’t have your job and eat it too.”

Here are some classroom resources that might be helpful:

  • The 2021 Intro-to-Anthropology class on politics using the textbook Anthropology: What does it mean to be human?
  • The 2020 Intro-to-Anthro class on political organization using the textbook Through the Lens of Anthropology.
  • The Cultural Anthropology 2020 class on politics and power using the textbook Essentials of Cultural Anthropology.
  • This Anthropology 2017 class attempted to ask the question “Why does politics matter?”

Biden-Harris: Unity Over Division

Biden-Harris Anthropology

Endorsing Biden-Harris from anthropology: Tribal Nations, immigration, racial equity, global community, and the climate emergency.

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#AmplifyBlackVoices: US White Supremacy & Anthropology

“Black lives do not actually matter to anthropology, so far as I can see: and if they did, I could be speaking out freely from within the borders of the United States.”

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Categories Discuss White Privilege Tags capitalism, politics, race, racism Leave a comment

Purpose of Living Anthropologically

Purpose of Living Anthropologically

Reconsidering the purpose of Living Anthropologically and adjusting to global convulsions. We need to document history, interconnection, & power. We need to care for others as we attempt to build a world together

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Categories Moral Optimism Tags anthropology branding, capitalism, globalization, Michel-Rolph Trouillot, political economy, politics, Ruth Benedict, Tim Ingold Leave a comment

Coronavirus & Academia

Camus The Plague Coronavirus COVID-19

Academia should be at the forefront of imagining more radical possibilities for going beyond our current coronavirus crisis.

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Categories Moral Optimism Tags education, empathy, planning, politics Leave a comment

Trade

Contraband Corridor: Trade & Making a Living at the Mexico-Guatemala Border

Please share your thoughts on the best anthropological readings on trade and exchange! The December issue of Open Anthropology will feature 15 articles on trade.

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Categories Anthropologists Tags capitalism, globalization, Latin America, political economy, politics, trade Leave a comment

Impeachment & Anthropology

Concentration Camps - Impeachment Anthropology

From anthropology, the reasons for Trump’s immediate impeachment include treatment of migrants, international destabilization, and the climate crisis.

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Boundaries, Borders, Walls

Flores - No Border Walls - Boundaries

Human history is marked by migration, cooperation, group permeability, & interconnection. Recent efforts to build walls harms human potential.

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Categories Moral Optimism Tags globalization, immigration, Latin America, political economy, politics Leave a comment

Antonio Delgado NY-19

From Boas To Black Power

In NY-19 we elected Antonio Delgado as a representative to do the job of providing oversight. In 2019, that oversight should include supporting impeachment.

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Anthropology & US Immigration

Terrio - Unaccompanied Undocumented Children in US Immigration Custody - Studying Immigration

There is a lot of great anthropology studying immigration in the United States. Immigration is central to the study of anthropology and to humanity.

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Anthropology on Immigration

Shadow of the Wall - Anthropology on Immigration

Anthropology has studied immigration and stands with immigrants against mass human rights violations.

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Categories Moral Optimism Tags capitalism, cultural relativism, culture, education, empathy, globalization, immigration, political economy, politics, racism Leave a comment

Becoming White

Brodkin - How Jews Became White - Becoming White, Policing Whiteness

Anthropology reveals that racial identities are not biologically given but a social process. Racism is crucial to becoming white and policing whiteness.

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Venezuela & Anthropology

Schiller - Channeling the State - Will Venezuela Recover

With the Venezuela elections, questions of “Will Venezuela recover?” or “Will Venezuela collapse?” arise. Anthropological resources for longer-term perspective.

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Categories Moral Optimism Tags capitalism, Fernando Coronil, Latin America, political economy, politics, Venezuela Leave a comment

Starbucks Enlightenment

Starbucks - Racism - Anthropology

Anthropology condemns the revival of biological race. Some join against racist calls to police black people. But what about race & racism within anthropology?

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Categories Scathing Anthropology Tags anthropology branding, empathy, Michel-Rolph Trouillot, politics, race, racism Leave a comment

What should you do?

Fast Easy Cash - If the United States Collapses

We seem to be living through a process of declining US hegemony. However, if the United States collapses as an event rather than a process, what’s the plan?

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Categories Moral Optimism Tags agriculture, capitalism, fieldwork, globalization, Michel-Rolph Trouillot, planning, political economy, politics Leave a comment

What if people stop funding the US?

Graeber - Debt - When will the US run out of money

The United States is running nearly one trillion dollar annual deficits, piling onto a mountain of existing debt. What happens if people stop funding the U.S.?

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Collapse and/or Authoritarianism

Apocalypse Metamorphosis - When will US government collapse

The US Executive & Legislative branches are non-functioning institutions. Even scarier, they risk authoritarian takeover in a political or economic crisis.

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When will the US Stock Market Collapse?

Eriksen - Overheating - When will the stock market collapse

The first indicator we could be headed for a collapse in the United States may be a US stock market collapse. Translating from CNBC, it does look dire.

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When will the United States collapse?

Third World War - When will the United States Collapse

In historical perspective, what seem like lived events become identifiable as processes. However, recent rumblings indicate a US collapse could be swift.

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Categories Moral Optimism Tags capitalism, Eric Wolf, globalization, Michel-Rolph Trouillot, political economy, politics Leave a comment

Anthropology for a Safer World

March for our Lives #ParklandStudentsSpeak Against Guns

Open Anthropology highlights anthropological research for understanding and teaching about gun violence & the #MarchForOurLives for gun reform

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Anthropology Matters

Open Anthropology Matters

The October 2017 issue of Open Anthropology promotes material linked to the #AmAnth17 meetings, Anthropology Matters (November 29-December 3).

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CIA & Anthropology

Cold War Anthropology - CIA and Anthropology

Sponsored by the Hardy Chair Lecture Series, a public lecture by Dr. David H. Price: “Tracing Funding, Tracing Impacts: The CIA and Anthropology.”

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Anthropology: Unfinished Revolution

Sidney Mintz - Sweetness and Power

What Would Sid Do? Reflections on the Sidney Mintz legacy in anthropology. Teaching Introduction to Anthropology as Global History & Interconnection.

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Categories Anthropologists Tags capitalism, education, Eric Wolf, Michel-Rolph Trouillot, political economy, politics, Sidney Mintz, textbooks 6 Comments

Blocking Trump

Federalist Papers - Electoral College Blocking Trump

In 2016, the Electoral College should have stopped Trump from becoming president. In 2019, blocking Trump depends on impeachment.

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Categories Moral Optimism Tags planning, politics 2 Comments

Coalition of the Diverse

November Rain - Racially Mixed Crowd as Coalition of the Diverse

In November 2018, we can assemble the “coalition of the diverse” that almost came together in 2016: A racially mixed crowd in the November Rain.

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Categories Moral Optimism Tags immigration, Michel-Rolph Trouillot, political economy, politics, race, race mixing, racism Leave a comment

Anthropology Boycott

BDS Movement Anthropology Boycott

The BDS Movement merits support, but an anthropology boycott of Israeli academic institutions by the AAA is a too easy “take a stand” moment from academe.

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Categories Anthropologists Tags ambushing anthropology, Michel-Rolph Trouillot, political economy, politics 30 Comments
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© 2011-2023 Jason Antrosio. All Rights Reserved. This blog is a personal project and does not represent the views of any institutions or employers, current or previous. The opinions expressed here are mine alone.