24/08/2024
AT August 2024 (40–4)
NEWS
OBITUARY
James Scott, Professor at Yale University, passed away peacefully on 19 July. An oral life history, including his Quaker education, is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-IgJJW5Fkc. [GH]
ROSEMARY FIRTH
Love, loyalty, and deceit: Rosemary Firth, a life in the shadow of two eminent men (Berghahn, 2023) by Hugh Firth, Rosemary’s son, and Loulou Brown, Edmund Leach’s daughter, explores the complex life of anthropologist Rosemary Firth (née Upcott). The biography, based on letters and diaries, reveals Rosemary’s personal and professional challenges as she navigated her relationships with her husband, Raymond Firth, and long-time love, Edmund Leach. Rosemary’s unfulfilled love for Edmund Leach, which began in the late 1920s and was rekindled in the 1960s, forms a central theme. Despite marrying Raymond Firth in 1936, her emotional connection to Leach persisted throughout her life. As an anthropologist, Rosemary made significant contributions, particularly through her work in Kelantan, Malaya, during the late 1930s and early 1940s. Her achievements, however, were often overshadowed by the prominent men in her life and the patriarchal attitudes of the time. The biography follows Rosemary’s personal trials, including her uncle Maurice’s su***de and her complex relationships with Raymond and Edmund. These experiences, along with her mother’s early death and her father’s remarriage, shaped her resilient yet vulnerable character. An unexpected revelation is Rosemary’s brief love affair with Helen Stocks, a family friend, adding another layer to her intricate personal life. Betty Belshaw, Rosemary Firth’s close friend, was said to have vanished mysteriously in Paris in January 1979 while travelling with her husband Cyril. Despite thorough investigations, no leads to her whereabouts emerged. After her body was found near their home in Switzerland, however, Cyril was extradited to Switzerland for murder and acquitted. Cyril admitted to tampering with Betty’s dental records during the identification process, allegedly to avoid potential trauma. This action sparked suspicions about his involvement in her disappearance. For anthropologists, this biography offers insights into the interplay between personal relationships and professional life in academia. It highlights the oft-overlooked contributions of women in the field and serves as a reminder of the human element in anthropological research. Love, loyalty, and deceit presents a nuanced portrait of Rosemary Firth, her resilience and determination as a woman in a male-dominated field, while illuminating the personal histories behind academic legacies. [GH]
MAGIC & SCIENCE: LIMINAL MODERNITY
In her latest work, Magic and the will to science: A political anthropology of liminal technicality, Agnes Horvath explores the relationship between science and magic, illustrating how modern science emerged from the roots of ancient magical practices. Unlike magic, which had its own structured rituals and boundaries, science drives an ongoing state of transition, disrupting traditional certainties and leading to a perpetual in-between state. Drawing from the works of Frances Yates and Eric Voegelin, she argues that modern science is not a radical departure from, but rather an evolution of magic. She traces the influence of alchemy, Hermetic philosophy, the occult and Gnosticism on the development of scientific thought, revealing how these mystical traditions continue to shape contemporary scientific endeavours. Central to Horvath’s analysis is her understanding of liminality, a concept she sees as crucial for grasping the dynamics of science and magic. Liminality refers to a state of being ‘betwixt and between’, where individuals and societies exist in a state of transition and ambiguity. She posits that the relentless pursuit of scientific knowledge has entrenched modern society in a permanent liminal crisis, where old certainties are dissolved, and new realities are continuously forged. This perpetual state of flux creates a fertile ground for both innovation and existential anxiety, as humanity grapples with the consequences of its technological creations. The book is structured around a series of historical and thematic explorations. Horvath examines the transformation of natural understanding through scientific advancement, highlighting how technology, once a tool for human empowerment, now exerts control over humanity. Through detailed case studies, she shows how the relentless pursuit of scientific knowledge has led to a permanent state of liminality – an in-between state of constant flux and crisis. Horvath’s analysis is particularly relevant in today’s world, where the rapid advancement of technology and the omnipresence of AI and algorithms have created a reality where humans often feel subjugated by the very tools they created. She warns of the parasitic nature of the ‘will to science’, which thrives on relationality and exists outside concrete places and communities, leading to a disconnection from authentic human existence. Horvath’s work offers anthropologists a framework for understanding the cultural and social implications of scientific progress. Her interdisciplinary approach provides insight into the interplay between ancient magical traditions and modern scientific practices, urging scholars to reconsider the foundational narratives of both fields. This book highlights the need for a holistic approach to understanding the impact of science on human life. [GH]
AI & WORK’S END
Do artificial intelligence advances signal a potential end to traditional employment, a cornerstone of human society for millennia? A recent article by Avital Balwit in Palladium Magazine explores the imminent obsolescence of knowledge work and its implications for human culture and well-being. Balwit, a 25-year-old AI researcher, predicts that within three to five years, AI could surpass human capabilities in most cognitive tasks, rendering many jobs obsolete. This shift could mark the most significant change in human labour patterns since the Industrial Revolution, challenging anthropological understandings of the role of work in social structures and individual identity formation. The article examines various studies on unemployment’s psychological effects, noting that shame and financial stress – rather than the lack of work itself – may be the primary causes of negative psychological outcomes. This insight suggests that universal AI-driven unemployment might not necessarily lead to widespread unhappiness, provided basic needs are met. Anthropologists may find particular interest in the potential dissolution of the Protestant work ethic, a cultural force that has shaped Western societies for centuries. The article draws parallels to historical aristocracies and contemporary retirees, groups that have found meaning and satisfaction without formal employment. The piece also touches on cross-cultural perspectives, noting how women’s entry into the workforce did not necessarily increase happiness, and how different societies have varied in their conception of necessary work hours. As AI potentially ushers in a post-scarcity society, anthropologists will need to reconsider theories of social organization, status hierarchies and cultural transmission that have long been tied to labour divisions and occupational roles. The challenge of finding meaning in a world without traditional work may become a central focus of future anthropological enquiry, as humans grapple with redefining purpose and social contribution in the age of AI. https://www.palladiummag.com/2024/05/17/my-last-five-years-of-work/. [GH]
PROFILING CRYPTO OWNERS
A study published in PLOS ONE has unveiled what its authors deem to be the psychological, political, and social characteristics of cryptocurrency owners. Researchers surveyed 2,001 American adults, finding that nearly 30 per cent reported owning some form of cryptocurrency. The study claims that cryptocurrency ownership was associated with higher levels of conspiracy thinking, greater endorsement of ‘dark’ personality traits like narcissism and psychopathy, and frequent use of alternative and fringe social media platforms. Crypto owners also displayed a diverse mix of political ideologies that defy simple left-right categorization, higher levels of populist sentiment and support for some extremist groups. In a multivariate analysis, the strongest predictors of cryptocurrency ownership were being male, relying on alternative social media as a primary news source, enjoying argumentation and lower levels of authoritarianism. The researchers suggest these findings reflect broader trends of anti-establishment attitudes and non-mainstream behaviours. They note that cryptocurrency’s decentralized nature may appeal to those distrustful of traditional financial and governmental institutions. This study provides insights for anthropologists studying emerging subcultures and belief systems in the digital age. The researchers call for further investigation into the motivations behind cryptocurrency adoption and its potential societal impacts. One critique this study faces is its potential overgeneralization, reminiscent of past moral panics about ‘anti-social’ new technologies, such as early Internet users in the 1990s and car users in the early 20th century. This historical parallel suggests the findings may capture a momentary snapshot rather than enduring traits. Further research should differentiate between temporary trends and long-term social shifts linked to technological adoption. Littrell, S. et al. 2024. The political, psychological, and social correlates of cryptocurrency ownership. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0305178. [GH]
LONELINESS
Sean Redmond’s book offers a novel approach to understanding loneliness, combining ethnography with creative methods. The loneliness room: A creative ethnography of loneliness (Manchester University Press, 2024) analyses over 450 creative submissions and questionnaire responses to explore individuals’ conceptions, expressions and coping strategies regarding loneliness. Redmond encouraged participants to respond artistically to the ‘loneliness room’ metaphor through various media, enabling them to engage their ‘lonely imaginations’ and represent experiences in ways that transcend verbal description. The work examines loneliness in relation to gender, class, age and cultural context, challenging narratives that solely pathologize the experience. Redmond holds that while chronic loneliness can be detrimental, brief periods of existential solitude may foster creativity and self-reflection. By juxtaposing participants’ creative works with cultural depictions of loneliness, the book presents a nuanced view of lived and imagined loneliness. Redmond’s methodology highlights the potential of loneliness as a creative practice in ethnographic research for accessing emotional and experiential domains that might elude conventional approaches. This study will interest anthropologists exploring emotion, creative methodologies, visual culture and neoliberalism’s impact on personal experience, offering both theoretical insights and practical examples of involving participants as co-creators in ethnographic research. [GH]
ANTHROPOLOGY AT SEA
A thought-provoking article in American Ethnologist proposes rethinking ethnographic practice through maritime experiences. In ‘Anthropology at sea: Displacement as ethnographic praxis’, Jatin Dua draws on his fieldwork aboard cargo ships to argue for an anthropology attuned to concepts of immersion, displacement and buoyancy. Dua critiques traditional notions of ethnographic ‘fieldwork’ as rooted in land-based, property-making logics. Instead, he advocates thinking with the material realities of being at sea, where immersion is not just metaphorical but physical. The article explores how displacement – both as calculated tonnage and lived experience – shapes life aboard ships and how this could inform anthropological practice. Key to Dua’s argument is the concept of displacement tonnage, which measures a ship’s weight and buoyancy. He suggests this offers a model for ethnography that is dynamic and contingent rather than fixed in place. Just as a ship’s displacement changes throughout a voyage, so too might ethnographers remain attuned to shifting contexts and power relations. The article also highlights how seafarers experience multiple forms of displacement – temporal, spatial and social – that could inform anthropological perspectives on mobility and belonging. Dua proposes an ethnographic practice that, like navigation at sea, is always recalculating position and heading rather than presuming fixed origins and destinations. This innovative approach encourages anthropologists to consider how displacement can produce forward motion, even if uneven or haphazard. It offers a reimagining of ethnographic practice for a mobile and interconnected world. The article appears in American Ethnologist’s 50th anniversary forum ‘What good is anthropology?’. https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/amet.13238. [GH]
EGALITARIAN INCLUSIVENESS
An essay on the Ju/’hoansi, a hunter-gatherer society in Southern Africa, highlights their consensus-based decision-making process. This approach, where every voice is heard and respected, fosters cooperation and social harmony. The Ju/’hoansi’s inclusive practices stand in stark contrast to the polarized political climates seen worldwide today. Their model suggests that embracing open dialogue in decision-making can bridge divides and promote collective problem-solving. Anthropology has access to a wealth of diverse practices: can it do more to contribute to reducing political polarization in our increasingly fractured world? https://aeon.co/essays/what-the-ju-hoansi-can-tell-us-about-group-decision-making. [GH]
ANTHROPOLOGY & GLOBAL HEALTH
In an interview, James Pfeiffer exposes the thorny challenges facing anthropology in the world of global health. The field grapples with calls for decolonization and increased Global South leadership and is at a critical crossroads. Pfeiffer, a veteran of both academia and NGO work, describes anthropology’s struggle for relevance in global health. ‘We’re often seen as the qualitative methods people’, he remarks, highlighting the field’s relegation to a narrow methodological niche. This pigeonholing occurs despite anthropology’s potential for offering nuanced, ground-level insights that could revolutionize health interventions. The interview reveals a stark paradox: while global health increasingly recognizes the need for community engagement and cultural understanding – anthropology’s wheelhouse – the discipline often fails to translate its expertise into actionable influence. Pfeiffer describes the frustration of watching well-funded but misguided health projects falter due to a lack of anthropological insight. Adding to this tension is the global health sector’s growing self-reflection. Calls for decolonization, NGO localization and greater involvement of Global South partners in research are increasing. These shifts present a double-edged sword for anthropologists – an opportunity to demonstrate their value, but also a challenge to their traditional roles and methodologies. Pfeiffer does not shy away from criticizing his own field, arguing that anthropologists must break out of their comfort zones to engage more directly with policymakers and health practitioners. He advocates for a more vocal anthropology, one that is not afraid to ‘scream and yell’ about structural issues like debt and austerity that undermine health systems. The interview paints a picture of a discipline at a crossroads, rich in potential yet struggling to define its place in a changing landscape. As global health wrestles with its colonial legacy and seeks new paradigms, the question remains: can anthropology seize this moment to reshape the field, or will it remain on the sidelines, a source of critique but not of change? A seat at the table: What role for anthropology in global health? Ellen E. Foley in conversation with James Pfeiffer. In T.B. Masvawure et al. (eds) 2024. The Routledge handbook of anthropology and global health. Routledge. [GH]
STRESS ALTERS INHERITANCE
Research highlighted by PsyPost shows that chronic stress in fathers can alter s***m DNA, affecting offspring behaviour. The study exposed male mice to chronic stress, revealing changes in DNA methylation that regulate gene expression. These alterations were linked to heightened anxiety and altered stress responses in offspring. This discovery has anthropological implications, suggesting trauma and stress can be biologically inherited. It prompts consideration of intergenerational effects when studying the long-term impacts of trauma, poverty and stress on communities. Understanding these genetic mechanisms can provide insights into the persistence of social inequalities and the transmission of cultural and biological legacies. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-023-02350-2. https://www.psypost.org/chronic-stress-can-alter-genetic-material-in-s***m-leading-to-changes-in-offspring-behavior/. [GH]
EPIGENETIC INHERITANCE
Advances in epigenetics – the study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the DNA sequence – may suggest the need to revise anthropological theories of cultural transmission and intergenerational trauma. Neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow’s article in The Guardian highlights how experiences can alter gene expression and can be inherited. Studies on Holocaust survivors and their descendants show changes may occur in stress response and immune function genes. This research impacts anthropological understandings of cultural memory, resilience and adaptation. Epigenetic inheritance challenges nature-nurture dichotomies and offers a biological mechanism for transmitting cultural knowledge. It adds complexity to debates on collective memory, identity formation and the long-term impacts of colonialism. The potential for positive experiences to be epigenetically inherited opens new research avenues on cultural resilience and healing practices. This perspective raises questions about intergenerational responsibility and may influence approaches to environmental stewardship and cultural preservation. Integrating epigenetic insights with cultural transmission theories could lead to a more nuanced understanding of societal adaptation and evolution, potentially revolutionizing anthropological perspectives on inheritance, memory and biology-culture interplay. https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/jun/17/the-big-idea-can-you-inherit-memories-from-your-ancestors?CMP=share_btn_url. [GH]
SPECIES DEBATE INTENSIFIES
A Live Science article highlights the ongoing debate among biologists over defining species, impacting anthropological studies of human evolution and diversity. The ‘species problem’ has persisted for centuries, with at least 16 different species concepts in use. The 2016 proposal to reclassify giraffes into four distinct species based on genetic differences proved challenging in applying consistent species definitions. Even the biological species concept, based on reproductive compatibility, faces exceptions, when considering the interbreeding between Homo sapiens, Neanderthals and Denisovans. For anthropologists, this debate is crucial for understanding human evolution and contemporary genetic diversity. It affects the classification of ancient hominins and the interpretation of genetic admixture between human populations. Efforts to establish new guidelines for species classification, such as the Catalogue of Life initiative, may provide anthropologists with more robust frameworks for analyzing human origins and population histories. Interdisciplinary dialogue is needed to refine species concepts applicable to human evolutionary studies and contemporary population genetics. https://www.livescience.com/animals/what-defines-a-species-inside-the-fierce-debate-thats-rocking-biology-to-its-core. [GH]
CELLULAR INTELLIGENCE & EVOLUTION
Michael Levin’s research at Tufts University challenges traditional views on biological development and evolution, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of human origins and diversity. Levin’s work on cellular intelligence and bioelectrical communication suggests DNA is not the sole determinant of an organism’s form and function. Levin proposes that cells possess intelligence, communicating via bioelectrical signals to adapt to new circumstances. This cellular decision-making allows for flexible responses to environmental challenges, rather than rigid DNA-driven instructions. The research implications extend to artificial intelligence and consciousness, advocating for a more inclusive framework of cognition from molecular networks to complex organisms. For anthropologists, this paradigm shift could impact studies of human evolution, development, and genetic diversity. It may require re-evaluating fossil evidence interpretation, understanding human trait emergence, and conceptualizing genetic-cultural evolution relationships. This new perspective could offer insights into human biological and behavioural plasticity across environments and time periods, potentially reshaping our understanding of human adaptability and biology-culture interplay. https://newatlas.com/biology/levin-bioelectricity-cellular-intelligence-dna/. [GH]
HUMAN ORIGINS IN SUDAN
Research led by Oxford University’s Big Data Institute suggests all modern humans originate from a specific region in present-day Sudan. Analyzing over 3,600 genome sequences from 215 global populations, the study created a vast genealogical map of human genetic diversity. Using new algorithms, researchers constructed a network of nearly 27 million ancestors, tracing genetic variations back over a million years. This ‘tree sequence’ models historical processes underlying modern human genetic diversity, corroborating and refining the ‘Out of Africa’ theory. The study has significant implications for anthropologists studying human evolution and migration. It provides a detailed picture of our species’ global journey from Africa, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of prehistoric human populations, movements, and interactions. This genealogical map could help interpret archaeological findings, bridging gaps between genetic and material evidence of human prehistory. As the database expands, it may offer unprecedented insights into human population variations across time and geography, enriching our understanding of biological and cultural evolution. https://www.thebrighterside.news/post/scientists-reveal-that-every-human-originated-from-this-african-country/. [GH]
RAI NEWS
This is the time of year when we have the great pleasure of announcing the medal winners for 2024. The Huxley Memorial Medal is awarded to Professor Didier Fassin for his outstanding contribution and conceptual leadership in medical anthropology, including global inequalities in health in the context of HIV and AIDS politics, the anthropology of the state (police, justice and prisons), humanitarian and critical moral anthropology. The Rivers Memorial Medal is conferred upon Professor Marta Mirazón Lahr for her major work on the evolution, dispersal and diversity of modern humans incorporating human palaeontology, evolutionary genetics and archaeology. Professor David Mosse is awarded the Lucy Mair Medal for his lifetime commitment to anthropology and mental health, which has recently been further recognized through the award of £8,000,000 for a centre of medical anthropology and health at SOAS University of London. The Public Anthropology Award goes to Professor Lorna Williams, who has devoted her career to explaining the trauma that forced boarding schools can cause to Indigenous peoples, and to exploring ways that curricula can be rewritten to take into account the Indigenous voice.
The Curl Lectureship is given to Dr Isabelle Winder who is an evolutionary anthropologist based in the University of Bangor with interests in primatology, functional morphology, evolutionary biology, biogeography, ecology, palaeontology and human origins.
The Marsh Prize, which goes to a person who is not an academic but who has used anthropological ideas to make a contribution to public life, has reached its 10th year. In order to mark this, the Marsh Trust has exceptionally offered two prizes this year. The first goes to David Cleary who has made an enormous impact as the director of agriculture for The Nature Conservancy, and Dr Will Norman who has applied his anthropological training to address key contemporary challenges around sustainability and health, particularly with regards to transport and physical activity in everyday lives.
The President’s Lifetime Achievement Award is given to Professor Ian Hodder, arguably the most influential archaeological theorist in the world today, who has trained generations of archaeologists and anthropologists in Britain, the US and more recently Turkey. Honorary Fellowships are conferred upon Niede Guidon (Brazil) and Paul Nkwi (Cameroon). Niede Guidon is a distinguished Brazilian archaeologist and anthropologist known for her work in the prehistoric archaeology of South America, especially early occupation and rock art, and for her efforts to secure the conservation of the World Heritage Site Serra da Capivara National Park. Paul Nkwi is a professor of anthropology at the Catholic University of Cameroon (CATUC) in Bamenda, Cameroon. Professor Nkwi was the founding president of the Pan African Anthropological Association 1989-1994. In 1973, he won the Frobenius Essay Award to celebrate the centenary of Leo Frobenius. He has been vice president of the African Academy of Sciences and founding executive secretary of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences.
Many congratulations to all recipients! The recent large conference on anthropology and education went extremely well, and we will report further on this in the next RAI News. In the meantime, many thanks to all those who helped to bring about such a splendid and interesting occasion. [DS]
https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8322.12907
