This week we bring you a panel with Anthea Snowsill who is currently doing her research with the Intha people of Myanmar. In this panel We’d also introduce our newest Familiar Stranger, Carolyn West. Welcome to the team Carolyn!
Carolyn [1:25] kicks us off by discussing the recent documentary The Social Dilemma. She asks us to consider if social media and the global nature of the internet has created more separation and polarisation. What do you think? Has the internet changed how you debate or discuss certain issues?
Next Alex [5:46], discusses the personhood of corporations. Often called Corporate personhood, Alex asks us to consider how we interact with these “entities” as individuals and as a collective. What do you think? Does the idea of a corporate personhood feel strange to you?
Then Anthea [12:10], introduces the panel to the Buy Nothing Movement. She discusses the different social norms surrounding selling and gifting material possessions such as blenders or even used mattresses. Have you heard of the Buy Nothing Movement before? Would you sleep on a used mattress???
Finally, Simon [16:37] discusses how the effects and presence of colonialism are different depending on one’s location. He asks the panel how Australian colonialism is seen around the world and reflects on how “racism is complicated”. What do you think? Do you think colonialism and its prevalence varies from place to place?
Links and Citations
Check out Anthea’s work here!
http://myanmar.anu.edu.au/people/phd-students/anthea-snowsill
Check out the work of Ruby Hamad, the writer/intellectual here:
https://www.theguardian.com/profile/ruby-hamad
If you wanted more info about the Buy Nothing movement, check it out here:
https://buynothingproject.org/
See the trailer for documentary Carolyn mentioned here:
Don’t forget to head over to our Facebook group The Familiar Strange Chats. Let’s keep talking strange, together!
If you like what we do and are in a position to do so, you can help us to keep making content by supporting us through Patreon. Our Patreon can be found at https://www.patreon.com/thefamiliarstrange
This anthropology podcast is supported by the Australian Anthropological Society, the ANU’s College of Asia and the Pacific and College of Arts and Social Sciences, and the Australian Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, and is produced in collaboration with the American Anthropological Association.
Music by Pete Dabro: dabro1.bandcamp.com
Shownotes by Matthew Phung
Podcast edited by Alex D’Aloia , Matthew Phung and Simon Theobald
Feature image “corporate personhood” by Hollywata (2011)
https://flic.kr/p/awq4Pp
