The surprising(?) fun of anthropology

This week's subject of study is anthropology, and as has been the case with most of our subject so far, what stood out to me was the surprising diversity of the field.  I had previously been guilty of believing that anthropology was only the study of old, mostly prehistoric, cultures--mostly I had thought of archaeology being the profession, or area of study, for an anthropologist.  As it turns out, as discussed by Jason Paling in his introductory video-lecture here, anthropology is hardly limited to any particular time or place, but is rather far more broad and inclusive.

This better understanding of anthropology as a field of study begins to open up many avenues for research, many of which seek to examine some of the more odd and fun aspects of both our own, and others', culture.  The blog Savage Minds caught my attention this week, as this blog applies the study of anthropology to some rather interesting and fun aspects of the culture around us. The blog describes its mission as being a blog dedicated to accessible, well-written and relevant discussions on sociocultural anthropology. The blog is authoritative enough for anyone interested in the field, as the contributors range from graduate students to professors.  Among the topics covered recently are, The semiotics of bubble tea, the mystification of the economy, and a description of media archaeology, as well as a few entries on the issue of describing what it is that anthropologists do.  I found the article on bubble tea to be particularly entertaining, and insightful into trends of modernism, post-modernism, and individualism that can be identified in even a simple commodified beverage.

Apart from blogs, my research using the Anthropology Plus database this week pulled up an article about studying folklore as a means for tracking changes in attitudes and values among different cultures. The article, entitled Folklore research and the Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Series, written by Christine Goldberg for The Journal of American Folklore, reveals the intersection of  archaeology with mythology, literature and a culture's memory.  The article prompts discussion on exploring the role of folklore in different cultures and the way that different attitudes and beliefs are contained and transported over time in these tales.  This brings up further questions as to how these resources could be used for various different research projects involving cultures past and present.

A quick look at the sub-Reddit for anthropology, reveals many other interesting current discussions in the field.  Forum discussions include ways in which modern technology (specifically, lasers) are being implemented in archaeology, Amazon warrior names inscribed in Greek vases, and views from a Siberian hermit on why civilization is frightening.

If at all anything, all of this reveals that a reference librarian in anthropology will have their work cut our for them, but also that they will always be encountering something new.  Anthropology is a field that engages the imagination in opening up creative ways of viewing our culture along with others, and how to further investigate popular phenomenon in a larger historic and sociological context.




Paling, J. (2013) Lecture 1 - Introduction to Anthropology [video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuwcqBOOEdE