For those of us who have grown up in the ‘West’, we tend to think of religion as a customizable category. Some of us are born into a particular sect, others with no particular orientation, and as we travel through life, we’re presented with a panoply of options from which to choose. Many of us … Continue reading Like a Skin
Social Anthropology
It’s Not Just Your Parents’ Fault
Did you know that your mind is a cesspit of anger, and fear, and unresolved moments from your childhood? It’s not just you. Apparently everyone is living in a minefield of emotional triggers and traps. And underlying all of your behavior is a completely individualized personality structure, built up from stray comments and the subtle … Continue reading It’s Not Just Your Parents’ Fault
In Academia, All You Need is Love
Questions about Exploitation and Invisible Work in Academia It is an open "secret" amongst academics that universities exploit the labour of their academic staff, and more importantly, that they exploit the unpaid labour of their academic staff. There are arguments for and against this – doesn’t every vocation evoke unpaid labour? Hasn’t academia always been … Continue reading In Academia, All You Need is Love
When ‘White Privilege’ Becomes Uncomfortably Familiar
Author: Anonymous One of the unintended consequences of my fieldwork in Mumbai was that I spent ten weeks in bed with typhoid.The other was that I met my husband. The latter event means that Mumbai is now my permanent home, rather than a site of cultural intrigue demanding my scholarly attention. The process of making … Continue reading When ‘White Privilege’ Becomes Uncomfortably Familiar
The Restitution of the Dead
On the 7th of September 2017, Syrian national Mouaz Al-Nass, a singer and drummer, recorded and then uploaded a video of himself reciting the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, in the Alhambra palace in Grenada, Spain. In the video, Al-Nass concludes his declaration by saying that he believed the walls had missed the call … Continue reading The Restitution of the Dead
In Agreement with Krista Tippett
While sitting in the audience at a live Krista Tippett talk recently, I found myself in strong visceral agreement with words that I hadn't anticipated would arrest me so much. Already a fan of Tippett’s for the ease at which she converses with people about challenging topics, I hadn’t really thought about potential vocational crossovers … Continue reading In Agreement with Krista Tippett
Just ‘Cause You Feel It, Doesn’t Mean…
I once went with my mum to have our Auras read. We were living in Malaysia and curious about traditional healing practices. Our individual Chakras revealed some energy blockages. Of course, the sincere beliefs of one person can tap into another’s vulnerability or tendency toward superstition; we walked out with an excessive amount of Tourmaline … Continue reading Just ‘Cause You Feel It, Doesn’t Mean…
The Familiar Strange 