We are excited to announce our very first “Editors’ Forum.” As part of this initiative, we are calling for blog submissions on the fascinating topic of “Popular Culture Representations of Anthropologists.”
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Ep#106: MeTooAnthro and the Witch Hunt trope
The Familiar Strange · Ep#106: MeTooAnthro and the Witch Hunt trope Trigger Warning: Please note that this episode makes mention of Sexual Assault and sexual violence. In this episode we walk about MeToo anthropology from the lens of fieldwork and within the academy itself. Familiar Stranger Emma Quilty sat down with anthropologists Holly Walters and … Continue reading Ep#106: MeTooAnthro and the Witch Hunt trope
“Esteemed, Albeit Slightly Unhinged:” the Portrayal of Anthropology Professor June Bauer in US Sitcom Community
Betty White made a cameo in the first episode of season two in the hugely popular US sitcom Community, rocking the role of anthropology Professor June Bauer. Described by the writers and publicized by the Hollywood Reporter as “an esteemed, albeit slightly unhinged, anthropology professor,” Prof. Bauer typifies one widespread perception of anthropologists.
Ep#105 Podstudies: Dr Ian Cook on the Future of Academia & Podcasts
The Familiar Strange · Ep#105 Podstudies: Dr Ian Cook on the Future of Academia & Podcasts The podcast is back! We hope you haven't missed our dulcet tones too much! This week, we've challenged ourselves to be as meta as possible, with a podcast, about podcasting, released by an academic podcast! Try saying that after … Continue reading Ep#105 Podstudies: Dr Ian Cook on the Future of Academia & Podcasts
A Better Way to Namasté
Namasté is no longer just a pleasant Hindi greeting, but an English lexeme; a unit of language in the form of a word or phrase that has become an abstract representation of something other than its literal meaning. In this case, indexing a kind of white piousness that explicitly exoticizes and homogenizes South Asia into a caricature of disembodied Sanskrit words (like Ayurveda and Tantra), yoga poses, and “more authentic” religion all the while making unsubtle nods to imagined noble savagery and imitative ancient wisdom.