- New York
Francine Barone
Yale University, Human Relations Area Files (HRAF), Department Member
- University of Kent, Department of Anthropology, AlumnusYale University, Human Relations Area Files HRAF, Department Memberadd
- Anthropology, Digital Divide, Technology, Social Research Methods and Methodology, Globalization, Blogs, and 49 moreParticipatory Research, Web Design, Digital Media, Semantic Web Technologies, Mobile Media, Glocalization, Telecommunications, Ritual, Mobile Technology, Open Source Software, European Ethnography, Computer-Mediated Communication, Race and Ethnicity, Web Technologies, Consumerism, User-Generated Content, Digital Culture, Consumption Studies, Mediterranean Studies, E-Research, Software Development, Web Development, Cell Phones, Mobile Communication, Nationalism, Innovation statistics, Anthropology of locality, Technology Acceptance, Pervasive Computing, Ubiquitous Computing, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Urban Anthropology, Atheism, Semiotics, Immigration And Integration In Europe, Secular Humanism, Catalan Studies, Information Technology, Anthropology of Europe, Interfaces, Webbing Factors, Network Hubs, Weak Ties, Consumer Behavior, E-Commerce, Cultural Neuroscience, Sensory Anthropology, Cross-modality, and Synaesthesiaedit
- I am a digital anthropologist and media ethnographer. My work is aimed at understanding people’s everyday computing p... moreI am a digital anthropologist and media ethnographer. My work is aimed at understanding people’s everyday computing practices, interactions and activities on the Internet, through social media and via mobile devices. The proposition that humans are innately technological and that technology is inevitably human informs my approach to ethnography in the digital age. In my work, I explore “online” and “offline” communication practices alongside concepts of space and boundary-making to elucidate how the Internet is indelibly tied to place-based realities and identities.
My research interests include: urban ethnography, (northern) Mediterranean societies, ethnicity, nationalism, immigration, Internet policy and governance, digital anthropology research and methods, computer programming, user interface design and aesthetics, UX, ethics, and sensory ethnography.
As Director of Academic Development and Operations at HRAF, I oversee day-to-day activities across all departments, including operational oversight for academic and database development, user engagement, academic outreach, and the production and dissemination of scholarly resources for cross-cultural research, anthropology and archaeology. I curate and manage Teaching eHRAF, and produce original open educational resources for teaching and learning anthropology. I also publish and present new research and contribute to grant-funded projects.
I leverage years of digital ethnographic experience to inform product development by enabling our technical team to incorporate user feedback into future product releases based on tailored UX research. In addition, I manage HRAF's social media accounts and media engagement with the wider anthropological community, as well as write open access articles that share ethnographic data and explore cross-cultural findings.
I am also the co-PI for the (2020-) National Science Foundation-funded iKLEWS (Infrastructure for Knowledge Linkages from Ethnography of World Societies) Project. This project seeks to leverage exciting new innovations in AI, natural language processing and machine learning to greatly expand the value of eHRAF World Cultures to students and researchers who seek to understand the range of possibilities for human knowledge, belief and behavior, including research for real-world problems we face today, such as: climate change; violence; disasters; epidemics; hunger; and war.edit
We attempt to explore here the relationship between anthropology, social media and public engagement through a web-based network based on Ning which we helped to found in 2009 and managed until 2019, when it had 22,000 members worldwide,... more
We attempt to explore here the relationship between anthropology, social media and public engagement through a web-based network based on Ning which we helped to found in 2009 and managed until 2019, when it had 22,000 members worldwide, including an active Facebook page. It was set up as a place to freely discuss anthropology. We discovered that commitment to an “open” platform disguised the dialectic of openness and closure on which any social form depends. A subsequent initiative by some members of the administration to move towards “closed garden” social networking has not yet materialized. The OAC Press, its publishing arm, seeks to advance anthropology by engaging with radical ideas in innovative ways. In this article, written in 2012, we argue that obscure social and technical dynamics were at work in organizing our cooperative enterprise. Academic anthropology today poses significant obstacles to realising the democratic spirit that launched the OAC. See http://openanthcoop.net/press/.
Research Interests:
The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced myriad challenges for teaching anthropology and has altered the academic landscape for years to come. However, it has also brought new opportunities for improving coursework with creative digital... more
The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced myriad challenges for teaching anthropology and has altered the academic landscape for years to come. However, it has also brought new opportunities for improving coursework with creative digital methods and online resources. Can an entire anthropology course be taught using only freely available webbased materials? If so, what could it look like? I embarked on this digital learning experiment hoping to create open educational resources (OERs) that could be shared and adapted by anthropology instructors. Aimed at introducing students to the fundamentals of cultural anthropology, Ethnographic Insights Across Cultures is an engaging 13-week syllabus supported by carefully curated readings, videos, and activities. I reflect on designing these resources as adaptable tools for online or hybrid learning during the pandemic and share feedback from instructors and students who have used them. Finally, I suggest that flexible approaches to education implemented out of necessity to buffer the uncertainty and disruption of a global public health crisis will continue to have long-term effects on teaching and learning anthropology.
Research Interests:
We discuss issues arising from applying natural language processing and data science methods to assist search and analysis of the largest online collection of ethnography, curated by the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) at Yale... more
We discuss issues arising from applying natural language processing and data science methods to assist search and analysis of the largest online collection of ethnography, curated by the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) at Yale University. In particular, we examine how comparative research might be better enabled and pitfalls avoided, and how eHRAF, and other online resources, can assume some level of interoperability so that research and practitioner communities can combine and utilise online data tools from different sources. iKLEWS (Infrastructure for Knowledge Linkages from Ethnography of World Societies) is a HRAF project funded by the US National Science Foundation. iKLEWS is developing semantic infrastructure and associated computer services for a growing textual database of ethnography (eHRAF World Cultures), presently with roughly 750,000 pages from 6,500 ethnographic documents covering 360 world societies over time. The basic goal is to greatly expand the value of eHRAF World Cultures to students and researchers who seek to understand the range of possibilities for human understanding, knowledge, belief and behaviour, including research for real-world problems we face today, such as: climate change; violence; disasters; epidemics; hunger; and war. Understanding how and why cultures vary in the range of possible outcomes in similar circumstances is critical to improving policy, applied science, and basic scientific understandings of the human condition in an increasingly globalised world. Moreover, seeing how others have addressed issues in the recent past can help us find solutions we might not find otherwise.
Research Interests:
Abstract We have surveyed current commercial use of the Internet in Cameroon. This paper provides some data on Cameroon's presence on the Internet as an initial means of assessing the impact information technologies and... more
Abstract We have surveyed current commercial use of the Internet in Cameroon. This paper provides some data on Cameroon's presence on the Internet as an initial means of assessing the impact information technologies and the Internet have had on local business practices in Cameroon. We have found some NGOs promoting entrepreneurs and artisan producers to sell their wares. Alongside tourism and import/export listings, the use of small ads is predominant. Connectivity via fixed lines remains a bottleneck impeding expansion. ...
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Proverbs are a simple way of expressing a well-known truth or adage based on common sense or experience. They are usually considered to be imbued with ancestral wisdom, passed down from generation to generation until they become part of a... more
Proverbs are a simple way of expressing a well-known truth or adage based on common sense or experience. They are usually considered to be imbued with ancestral wisdom, passed down from generation to generation until they become part of a society's oral tradition. This post will explore what anthropology, archaeology, and the ethnographic record can offer to the field of paremiology, which is dedicated to the collection and study of proverbs.
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Food is a universal human experience. People everywhere must eat to survive, yet what foods are eaten and how they are enjoyed can vary widely across cultures and time. While the dishes that bring comfort vary from culture to culture and... more
Food is a universal human experience. People everywhere must eat to survive, yet what foods are eaten and how they are enjoyed can vary widely across cultures and time. While the dishes that bring comfort vary from culture to culture and person to person, is turning to food for comfort a cultural universal?
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The Winter Solstice is upon us in the Northern Hemisphere. Marking the longest night and shortest day of the year, the hibernal solstice is an astronomical event that takes place when the Earth reaches its maximum tilt on its axis away... more
The Winter Solstice is upon us in the Northern Hemisphere. Marking the longest night and shortest day of the year, the hibernal solstice is an astronomical event that takes place when the Earth reaches its maximum tilt on its axis away from the sun. (At the same time, residents of the Southern Hemisphere are enjoying their longest day and shortest night). These calendrical milestones have long shaped human activities and annual cycles. Peoples all over the world have long revered this annual astronomical occurrence as a time to bid farewell to lengthy, dark nights and to welcome the impending return of the sun.
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Settlements are central to human development, making shelter, dwellings, and residence patterns necessary foci of investigation in both anthropology and archaeology. This post seeks to address a related and easily overlooked aspect of... more
Settlements are central to human development, making shelter, dwellings, and residence patterns necessary foci of investigation in both anthropology and archaeology. This post seeks to address a related and easily overlooked aspect of this anthropological concern: when is a house a home? Is “home” recognized in the same ways around the world?
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If the number of cute animal memes on the internet is a fair benchmark, then the human love of pets is a powerful and global phenomenon. For many pet owners, their furry (or scaly) domestic companions transcend any simple categorization... more
If the number of cute animal memes on the internet is a fair benchmark, then the human love of pets is a powerful and global phenomenon. For many pet owners, their furry (or scaly) domestic companions transcend any simple categorization of non-human animal. Indeed, research shows that it is a growing global trend for pet owners to consider their animals to be full members of their families; to dote upon them as they would children or romantic partners, both emotionally and financially; and to thereby develop strong bonds of dependency, love, and support.
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Irish traditional folklore is one aspect of cultural life in Ireland with a long and colorful cast of characters and symbols, many of which have been exported around the world. Lucky charms and magical creatures abound. For example, there... more
Irish traditional folklore is one aspect of cultural life in Ireland with a long and colorful cast of characters and symbols, many of which have been exported around the world. Lucky charms and magical creatures abound. For example, there is the infamously mischievous Leprechaun, a small bearded man who plays tricks, grants wishes, and hides his pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. The ubiquitous four-leaf clover brings luck to those who stumble upon it by chance and features prominently in St. Patrick’s Day decorations. This post will delve into Irish folklore in eHRAF World Cultures to uncover how to best to harness the renowned “luck of the Irish”, as well as how to understand it anthropologically.
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In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak and pandemic, academic departments, faculty, and students alike are endeavoring to adjust to a new reality of teaching and learning remotely due to university campus closures, self-isolation, and... more
In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak and pandemic, academic departments, faculty, and students alike are endeavoring to adjust to a new reality of teaching and learning remotely due to university campus closures, self-isolation, and international lock-down conditions. Physical and mental health and well-being have more than ever become the priority for all involved. Yet maintaining connectivity between faculty and students while continuing the education process is also an important factor in keeping our academic communities safe, healthy, and engaged throughout these difficult times.
Present circumstances have created unforeseen anxieties and tensions across many facets of daily life. With the vast majority of students and faculty currently telecommuting to class, we continue to see a dramatic shift to conducting and attending classes wholly online. Classrooms have been exchanged for living rooms; or, often, for whatever corner of the home and fraction of the day are available for study or teaching preparation. While online teaching is certainly nothing new, it is definitely a daunting experience for many participants on both sides of the screen. The “pivot to online” therefore presents a challenge that is best met by working together.
Now is a time for the global academic community to come together on behalf of our colleagues, students, friends, and strangers who are up against unprecedented adjustments to their daily lives. Digital collaborations require many helping hands to keep education moving forward. The Twitter hashtag #CovidCampus is one such example. Resuming academic life in this new format while approximating as much “normalcy” and continuity as we can muster is just one small step towards easing the burdens that many of us are facing – especially those for whom the campus, classroom, and library were a safe haven, and colleagues and classmates an essential support system.
Present circumstances have created unforeseen anxieties and tensions across many facets of daily life. With the vast majority of students and faculty currently telecommuting to class, we continue to see a dramatic shift to conducting and attending classes wholly online. Classrooms have been exchanged for living rooms; or, often, for whatever corner of the home and fraction of the day are available for study or teaching preparation. While online teaching is certainly nothing new, it is definitely a daunting experience for many participants on both sides of the screen. The “pivot to online” therefore presents a challenge that is best met by working together.
Now is a time for the global academic community to come together on behalf of our colleagues, students, friends, and strangers who are up against unprecedented adjustments to their daily lives. Digital collaborations require many helping hands to keep education moving forward. The Twitter hashtag #CovidCampus is one such example. Resuming academic life in this new format while approximating as much “normalcy” and continuity as we can muster is just one small step towards easing the burdens that many of us are facing – especially those for whom the campus, classroom, and library were a safe haven, and colleagues and classmates an essential support system.
Research Interests:
With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting academic timetables around the world, instructors and students have each had to make adjustments in order to continue teaching and learning. For many, the sudden closure of campus locations has... more
With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting academic timetables around the world, instructors and students have each had to make adjustments in order to continue teaching and learning. For many, the sudden closure of campus locations has interrupted the flow of an existing schedule and cut off professors from interacting with students as well as colleagues. For most, it provides challenges for future classes that may never take place in a physical classroom or laboratory. As a result, there are two main trajectories to online learning that instructors must navigate now and into the foreseeable future.
Research Interests:
We explore here the relationship between anthropology, social media and public engagement through a web-based network that we helped to found and manage. Obscure social and technical dynamics are at work, but academic anthropology today... more
We explore here the relationship between anthropology, social media and public engagement through a web-based network that we helped to found and manage. Obscure social and technical dynamics are at work, but academic anthropology today also poses significant obstacles. The Open Anthropology Cooperative (OAC) is an online organization for professionals, students and the general public with an interest in anthropology. It was founded in mid-2009.
A small network of mostly young anthropologists raised the possibility of such an organization on Twitter, and then moved to a forum that allowed more extended discussion; shortly after, we formed the OAC as a social media platform. The response to its formation was explosive. It now has over 2,000 members on two social media sites. The 'committee' that launched the OAC was taken by surprise. In the first year, some political crises had to be overcome, but eventually things settled down. Most members are now dormant, but we consider here the main lessons from this social and intellectual experiment. Starting out as a social movement opposed to academic hierarchy, the OAC was undermined the academic ethos of most members. In the end anthropology itself was to blame for our failure to make the most of its potential.
A small network of mostly young anthropologists raised the possibility of such an organization on Twitter, and then moved to a forum that allowed more extended discussion; shortly after, we formed the OAC as a social media platform. The response to its formation was explosive. It now has over 2,000 members on two social media sites. The 'committee' that launched the OAC was taken by surprise. In the first year, some political crises had to be overcome, but eventually things settled down. Most members are now dormant, but we consider here the main lessons from this social and intellectual experiment. Starting out as a social movement opposed to academic hierarchy, the OAC was undermined the academic ethos of most members. In the end anthropology itself was to blame for our failure to make the most of its potential.
Research Interests:
We attempt here to explore the relationship between anthropology, social media and public engagement through a web-based network that we helped to found and manage. We argue that obscure social and technical dynamics are at work here, but... more
We attempt here to explore the relationship between anthropology, social media and public engagement through a web-based network that we helped to found and manage. We argue that obscure social and technical dynamics are at work here, but academic anthropology today also poses significant obstacles for this enterprise.
Research Interests:
This paper presents the findings of the Gone Dark Project, a joint study between the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology and the Oxford Internet Institute at Oxford University. The project has sought to give substance to... more
This paper presents the findings of the Gone Dark Project, a joint study between the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology and the Oxford Internet Institute at Oxford University. The project has sought to give substance to frequent reports of Web sites “disappearing” (URLs that generate “404 not found” errors) by tracking and investigating cases of excellent and important Web sites which are no longer accessible online. We first address the rationale and research methods for the project before focusing on several key case studies illustrating some important challenges in Web preservation. Followed by a brief overview of the strengths and weaknesses of current Web archiving practice, the lessons learned from these case studies will inform practical recommendations that might be considered in order to improve the preservation of online content within and beyond existing approaches to Web preservation and archiving.
Research Interests:
Ah, Naples! Capital of the Italian South, historical port city and Italy’s third largest metropolis. Sprawled beneath the looming shadow of the slumbering Mount Vesuvius, it is the birthplace of the Neapolitan pizza, Capodimonte porcelain... more
Ah, Naples! Capital of the Italian South, historical port city and Italy’s third largest metropolis. Sprawled beneath the looming shadow of the slumbering Mount Vesuvius, it is the birthplace of the Neapolitan pizza, Capodimonte porcelain and actress Sophia Lauren. Exports aside, the name brings to mind a chaotic, but vibrant, street life. One envisages a tangle of narrow, cobbled streets hung with linens and densely packed with tourists and locals; a loud hum of activity from animated, gesturing Neapolitans; and the disorienting buzz of Vespas dodging and darting between impressive ancient piazzas. In the tourist literature, from guidebooks to newspaper editorials, foreigners love to wax poetic about Naples.
Research Interests: Anthropology, Place and Identity, Space and Place, Urban Anthropology, Global Social Change, and 13 moreAnthropology of space, Place (Architecture), Urban Studies, Sense of Place, Pierre Bourdieu, Urban Sociology, Social Production of Space, Henri Lefebvre, Public Space, Anthropology of the Mediterranean, Naples, Italy, and Cultural History of Naples and Campania
Kozinets’ Netnography: Doing ethnographic research online is a strong introductory text for those seeking to conduct Internet-based social research. It provides the reader with recommended steps to follow in formulating their own... more
Kozinets’ Netnography: Doing ethnographic research online is a strong introductory text for those seeking to conduct Internet-based social research. It provides the reader with recommended steps to follow in formulating their own ‘netnographies’ (p. 4) from conception and design to implementation, making it a handy how-to-do guide geared towards students and practitioners who are mostly new to web-based ethnographic inquiry. Sections on research planning, methods and ethics serve to further ongoing debates among media ethnographers.
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A summary of recent research dealing with data mining blogs for various purposes is outlined below. The papers have been organized into four categories based on the approach taken to data mining, the purpose of the research, and the type... more
A summary of recent research dealing with data mining blogs for various purposes is outlined below. The papers have been organized into four categories based on the approach taken to data mining, the purpose of the research, and the type of analysis provided. The four categories therefore include articles
1. relating to tagging, classification and folksonomy in the blogosphere;
2. mining comments and links to determine blogging communitynetworks;
3. focusing on spatio-temporal data;
4. extracting information regarding bloggers' identity, behavior and/or mood.
A brief conclusion along with the possibilities of future research is also presented.
1. relating to tagging, classification and folksonomy in the blogosphere;
2. mining comments and links to determine blogging communitynetworks;
3. focusing on spatio-temporal data;
4. extracting information regarding bloggers' identity, behavior and/or mood.
A brief conclusion along with the possibilities of future research is also presented.
The irrepressible expansion of social media continues to inspire fear over the losses of distinctive local culture. The more digitally connected humans become – the well-worn dystopian argument goes – the weaker our ties to our geographic... more
The irrepressible expansion of social media continues to inspire fear over the losses of distinctive local culture. The more digitally connected humans become – the well-worn dystopian argument goes – the weaker our ties to our geographic and cultural surroundings; our immediate friends and neighbours; and, by extension, the inclination to preserve traditions. Geography and history are certainly key to conceptualizing culture and tradition, but so, too, are those facets central to understanding the digital. How one engages digitally is largely shaped by offline culture, norms, behaviours, and expectations. Thus, any transformative power of the web is best understood situated within specific socio-cultural contexts of offline life. This paper will focus on the Catalan social drama known as the Passeig. This urban ritual, emblematic of public sociality throughout Catalonia, is at risk of extinction. At the time of my ethnographic fieldwork (2007-2009), the activity was depicted by locals of all ages as on the wane, with its central stage deemed by youths as the outdated domain of their grandparents. However, a particular type of interaction on social media shares many similarities with the custom of the passeig, despite youth insistence that such a practice is irrelevant to their lives. Is the power of social media to erode traditions the culprit of such a demise, or merely a red herring? A case study of the most popular social media site among young Catalans during this period will reveal that the lifespan of a tradition is surprisingly not platform-dependent.
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The elusive placelessness of the web continues to cause profound practical and analytical issues within and beyond the social sciences. Through case studies of Catalan linguistic nationalism, communication patterns, the Internet, mobile... more
The elusive placelessness of the web continues to cause profound practical and analytical issues within and beyond the social sciences. Through case studies of Catalan linguistic nationalism, communication patterns, the Internet, mobile phones, social networking sites and banal activism, I seek to overcome these difficulties by applying a multifaceted ethnographic and theoretical approach that envisages new technologies as symbolically and literally tethered to the ground. Overall, I aim to advance anthropological research into the impact of new media by challenging assumptions of inevitable change, reflecting instead on practical and pragmatic choices in an ethnically diverse locality struggling against lingering ghosts of the past and escalating fears of the future.
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In this activity:
- Explore ethical concerns in archaeology
- Evaluate existing ethical guidelines and laws
- Consider the right to ownership over the material past
- Read and interpret archaeological data Who owns the past?
- Explore ethical concerns in archaeology
- Evaluate existing ethical guidelines and laws
- Consider the right to ownership over the material past
- Read and interpret archaeological data Who owns the past?
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Archaeologists seek to place discoveries within a broader historical framework; in other words, to get a sense for the time period that an object comes from and how it relates to other finds, times, and places in the archaeological... more
Archaeologists seek to place discoveries within a broader historical framework; in other words, to get a sense for the time period that an object comes from and how it relates to other finds, times, and places in the archaeological record. This helps to build a better picture of how humans lived in the past, as well as how humanity, culture, and societies have evolved over time.
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Human culture and language are deeply intertwined. Anthropologists would have difficulty understanding a culture without becoming familiar with its language and vice versa. In fact, neither one can exist without the other. Like culture,... more
Human culture and language are deeply intertwined. Anthropologists would have difficulty understanding a culture without becoming familiar with its language and vice versa. In fact, neither one can exist without the other. Like culture, language is continually changing. Societal norms and practices impact the ways that people communicate with each other. Thus, by looking at how people speak to each other, we can deduce certain things about their relationships and relative status in society.
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Ethnographic fieldwork is how anthropologists gather data. Fieldwork is the process of immersing oneself in as many aspects of the daily cultural lives of people as possible in order to study their behaviors and interactions. Nearly any... more
Ethnographic fieldwork is how anthropologists gather data. Fieldwork is the process of immersing oneself in as many aspects of the daily cultural lives of people as possible in order to study their behaviors and interactions. Nearly any setting or location can become “the field”: a village along the Amazon river, a large corporate office in Tokyo, a small neighborhood café in Seattle, or even a social networking site like Facebook.
Fieldwork takes time. Anthropologists enter the field location much like a newborn child. They may have trouble communicating until they have learned the local language. They will likely make mistakes, and locals will find them funny or strange. It can take months or years to begin to accustom themselves to the society or community within which they will live and learn. In the fieldwork process, anthropologists eventually piece together ideas about kinship, language, religion, politics, and economic systems, which allows them to build a picture of the society.
Fieldwork takes time. Anthropologists enter the field location much like a newborn child. They may have trouble communicating until they have learned the local language. They will likely make mistakes, and locals will find them funny or strange. It can take months or years to begin to accustom themselves to the society or community within which they will live and learn. In the fieldwork process, anthropologists eventually piece together ideas about kinship, language, religion, politics, and economic systems, which allows them to build a picture of the society.
Research Interests:
Nascent Worlds is a build-your-own-culture learning activity. Designed with introductory socio-cultural anthropology classes in mind, it incorporates all four fields of anthropology (physical anthropology, linguistic anthropology,... more
Nascent Worlds is a build-your-own-culture learning activity. Designed with introductory socio-cultural anthropology classes in mind, it incorporates all four fields of anthropology (physical anthropology, linguistic anthropology, cultural anthropology, and archaeology).
The idea behind Nascent Worlds is for students of anthropology to imagine themselves as ethnographers encountering an entirely distant culture for the first time. What would they discover at this moment of first contact? Over time, by exploring the different areas of life in that society, the alien anthropologist must file a report with an intergalactic board of ethnographers. Who are these beings, and what has been learned about their culture?
The idea behind Nascent Worlds is for students of anthropology to imagine themselves as ethnographers encountering an entirely distant culture for the first time. What would they discover at this moment of first contact? Over time, by exploring the different areas of life in that society, the alien anthropologist must file a report with an intergalactic board of ethnographers. Who are these beings, and what has been learned about their culture?
Research Interests:
The idea behind Nascent Worlds is for students of anthropology to imagine themselves as ethnographers encountering an entirely distant culture for the first time. What would they discover at this moment of first contact? Over time, by... more
The idea behind Nascent Worlds is for students of anthropology to imagine themselves as ethnographers encountering an entirely distant culture for the first time. What would they discover at this moment of first contact? Over time, by exploring the different areas of life in that society, the alien anthropologist must file a report with an intergalactic board of ethnographers. Who are these beings, and what has been learned about their culture?
Research Interests:
Broadly speaking, economic anthropology is concerned with the ways in which humans “make a living” in different societies or cultures. All societies in the world – industrialized or non-industrialized – have some kind of economic system.... more
Broadly speaking, economic anthropology is concerned with the ways in which humans “make a living” in different societies or cultures. All societies in the world – industrialized or non-industrialized – have some kind of economic system. By focusing on the circulation of material objects in both market and non-market economies, economic anthropologists are able to address questions such as: why are some people farmers or shopkeepers, while others are stockbrokers or bankers? What items have “value” and how is that worth determined? Do concepts like altruism or self-interest exist in all societies? Tracing the meaning of objects through their production, distribution, exchange, and consumption enables economic anthropologists to evaluate how people make decisions and build interpersonal relationships through transactions.
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HRAF Jeoparody is an interactive class activity based on the Human Relations Area Files and the eHRAF Databases. The game runs in a fun, animated PowerPoint format complete with sound effects, transitions, and a “Final Jeoparody” round.... more
HRAF Jeoparody is an interactive class activity based on the Human Relations Area Files and the eHRAF Databases. The game runs in a fun, animated PowerPoint format complete with sound effects, transitions, and a “Final Jeoparody” round. The knowledge required to answer the questions comes from a variety of sources. Some of the questions are general anthropology trivia, while the majority combine anthropological or cross-cultural topics with facts about HRAF or the eHRAF Databases.
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HRAF Jeoparody contains six categories of questions and answers. True to the original TV quiz show, the “answers” are provided as prompts, and responses should come in the form of a question. The knowledge required to answer the questions... more
HRAF Jeoparody contains six categories of questions and answers. True to the original TV quiz show, the “answers” are provided as prompts, and responses should come in the form of a question. The knowledge required to answer the questions comes from a variety of sources. Some of it is comprised of general anthropology trivia, while several of the categories combine anthropological or cross-cultural topics with facts about HRAF or the eHRAF Databases.
Research Interests:
Through the comparative study of different cultures, anthropology explores the most fundamental questions about what it means to be human. Drawing upon eHRAF World Cultures and eHRAF Archaeology, this introductory course encourages... more
Through the comparative study of different cultures, anthropology explores the most fundamental questions about what it means to be human. Drawing upon eHRAF World Cultures and eHRAF Archaeology, this introductory course encourages students to explore cultural similarities and differences to better understand how culture shapes who we are: our societies, our shared meanings, and our everyday lives. Beginning with unpacking the concept of culture in anthropology, each week covers a different anthropological theme, including love, ritual performance, gender, language, food, and kinship. Evaluating cultural universals will allow students to contemplate the rich diversity of the human experience. With remote learning in mind, wholly online sources on timely topics are interwoven with classic ethnographic accounts to inspire lively class discussions. The cross-cultural and database research skills developed throughout the course provide a solid framework for understanding and analyzing anthropological concerns both within and beyond the social sciences.
Research Interests:
The purpose of this interview project is to learn about different cultural perspectives or experiences that your fellow classmates may have in comparison with yourself. Each student should share some aspect of their own “culture” and/or... more
The purpose of this interview project is to learn about different cultural perspectives or experiences that your fellow classmates may have in comparison with yourself. Each student should share some aspect of their own “culture” and/or ethnic background or ancestry (e.g. ideas or practices learned from their parents or grandparents), or, alternatively, another country that they have lived in or traveled to. “American” cultural examples are acceptable, but groups should have at least 3 different regional examples from personal experience to compare and contrast.
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Choose any aspect of human life or anthropological theme and evaluate whether or not you believe it to be a cultural universal based on ethnographic evidence. Refer to the eHRAF articles that we have read and discussed for each week as a... more
Choose any aspect of human life or anthropological theme and evaluate whether or not you believe it to be a cultural universal based on ethnographic evidence. Refer to the eHRAF articles that we have read and discussed for each week as a model. However, endeavor to choose an original subject to focus on. If you choose to explore one of the subjects from the weekly syllabus or aspects of it, you must use predominantly new examples and a new angle, supplemented with original theoretical and ethnographic research. Any of the listed textbooks are valid sources for theoretical background, but you are welcome to go beyond these texts by visiting anthropological journals.
Research Interests:
Through the comparative study of different cultures, anthropology explores the most fundamental questions about what it means to be human. Drawing upon eHRAF World Cultures and eHRAF Archaeology, this introductory course encourages... more
Through the comparative study of different cultures, anthropology explores the most fundamental questions about what it means to be human. Drawing upon eHRAF World Cultures and eHRAF Archaeology, this introductory course encourages students to explore cultural similarities and differences to better understand how culture shapes who we are: our societies, our shared meanings, and our everyday lives. Beginning with unpacking the concept of culture in anthropology, each week covers a different anthropological theme, including love, ritual performance, gender, language, food, and kinship. Evaluating cultural universals will allow students to contemplate the rich diversity of the human experience. With remote learning in mind, wholly online sources on timely topics are interwoven with classic ethnographic accounts to inspire lively class discussions. The cross-cultural and database research skills developed throughout the course provide a solid framework for understanding and analyzing anthropological concerns both within and beyond the social sciences.
Research Interests:
This is the second in a series of posts from HRAF aimed at assisting instructors in transitioning to online teaching since the COVID-19 pandemic, a global event that has resulted in temporary university closures due to self-isolation and... more
This is the second in a series of posts from HRAF aimed at assisting instructors in transitioning to online teaching since the COVID-19 pandemic, a global event that has resulted in temporary university closures due to self-isolation and quarantine procedures. The previous post provided a comprehensive overview of HRAF products and services that are available to instructors, students, and researchers, including the membership-based eHRAF Databases and open access resources. It featured several teaching syllabi from the open repository, Teaching eHRAF. This post will expand on classroom applications for teaching and learning with eHRAF, featuring In-Class Activities, as well as where to find online help and tutorials.
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Anthropological approaches to the Internet and new technologies are rapidly expanding areas of inquiry within the social sciences. While the existence of desktop hardware and wireless devices is self-evident, the elusive placelessness of... more
Anthropological approaches to the Internet and new technologies are rapidly expanding areas of inquiry within the social sciences. While the existence of desktop hardware and wireless devices is self-evident, the elusive placelessness of the web has caused profound practical and analytical issues. In popular science, the study of virtual worlds like Second Life and World of Warcraft makes headlines for challenging what we know about place-based society. Such arguments have prompted field researchers to fundamentally rethink the methodologies that have traditionally been applied to ethnographic fieldwork in order to explore virtual networks and online communities on their own terms. However, online concerns are not separate or detached from offline realities. New technologies are thoroughly embedded in our everyday lives. My research adventure has therefore been to locate the Internet. I embraced traditional on-the-ground methods to bypass virtuality in making sense of the “placeless cloud” that we take for granted. How do we situate websites, Facebook, email and texting within a communicative framework that is continually evolving in crosscutting trajectories with other forms of paper, wired and wireless media? Are “Web 2.0” and “social media” anything new? Is the Internet a social tool or an ego-centric, individualizing entity? Is it bounded by traditional categories of social stratification like class, gender and geography, or does it efface and transgress them? My doctoral research, based on 15 months of intensive participant observation in a Catalan city, tackled these issues head-on with a multifaceted approach to understanding the social impact of new media in a contemporary urban setting. I present here a critical review of my methods for Internet research wherein I explored technology as a continuous aspect of physical geography and reveal key findings which proved these methods to be worthwhile.
The purpose of this research is to understand the role of the Internet and mobile technologies within contemporary urban life in Spain. It will attempt to uncover the impact that new communication technologies have on the ways in which... more
The purpose of this research is to understand the role of the Internet and mobile technologies within contemporary urban life in Spain. It will attempt to uncover the impact that new communication technologies have on the ways in which people organize their lives and manage their relationships with others. The period of field research will encompass twelve months of participant observation in the Catalan region of Spain. It will analyze the various ways in which the consumption of popular technology – such as the Internet and mobile phones – may affect how modern identities are defined and performed. By focusing on actual, everyday patterns of technology usage (or non-usage), this research seeks to explore the impact that these services and devices have on a changing, modernizing social landscape. It asks: How are social networks and personal relationships altered as a result of the ubiquitous presence of the Internet and portable communication devices in people’s daily activities? What does it mean to be modern in Spain today, and in what way does it involve these technologies?
We discuss issues arising from applying natural language processing and data science methods to assist search and analysis of the largest online collection of ethnography, curated by the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) at Yale... more
We discuss issues arising from applying natural language processing and data science methods to assist search and analysis of the largest online collection of ethnography, curated by the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) at Yale University. In particular, we examine how comparative research might be better enabled and pitfalls avoided, and how eHRAF, and other online resources, can assume some level of interoperability so that research and practitioner communities can combine and utilise online data tools from different sources. iKLEWS (Infrastructure for Knowledge Linkages from Ethnography of World Societies) is a HRAF project funded by the US National Science Foundation. iKLEWS is developing semantic infrastructure and associated computer services for a growing textual database of ethnography (eHRAF World Cultures), presently with roughly 750,000 pages from 6,500 ethnographic documents covering 360 world societies over time. The basic goal is to greatly expand the value of eHRAF World Cultures to students and researchers who seek to understand the range of possibilities for human understanding, knowledge, belief and behaviour, including research for real-world problems we face today, such as: climate change; violence; disasters; epidemics; hunger; and war. Understanding how and why cultures vary in the range of possible outcomes in similar circumstances is critical to improving policy, applied science, and basic scientific understandings of the human condition in an increasingly globalised world. Moreover, seeing how others have addressed issues in the recent past can help us find solutions we might not find otherwise.
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The irrepressible expansion of social media continues to inspire fear over losses of distinctive local culture. The more digitally connected humans become – the well-worn dystopian argument goes – the weaker our ties to our geographic and... more
The irrepressible expansion of social media continues to inspire fear over losses of distinctive local culture. The more digitally connected humans become – the well-worn dystopian argument goes – the weaker our ties to our geographic and cultural surroundings; our immediate friends and neighbors; and, by extension, the inclination to preserve traditions. Geography and history are certainly key to conceptualizing culture and tradition, but so, too, are those facets central to understanding the digital. How one engages digitally is largely shaped by offline culture, norms, behaviors, and expectations. Thus, any transformative power of the web is best understood situated within specific socio-cultural contexts of offline life.
This paper will focus on the Catalan social space known as "ramblejar". This urban ritual, emblematic of public sociality throughout Catalonia, is at risk of extinction. At the time of my ethnographic fieldwork (2007-2009), the activity was depicted by locals of all ages as on the wane, with its central stage deemed by youths as the outdated domain of their grandparents. However, a particular type of interaction on social media shares many similarities with the past customs of the Rambla, despite youth insistence that such a practice is irrelevant to their lives. Is the power of social media to erode traditions the culprit of such a demise, or merely a red herring? A case study of the most popular social media site among young Catalans during this period will reveal that the lifespan of a tradition is surprisingly not platform-dependent.
This paper will focus on the Catalan social space known as "ramblejar". This urban ritual, emblematic of public sociality throughout Catalonia, is at risk of extinction. At the time of my ethnographic fieldwork (2007-2009), the activity was depicted by locals of all ages as on the wane, with its central stage deemed by youths as the outdated domain of their grandparents. However, a particular type of interaction on social media shares many similarities with the past customs of the Rambla, despite youth insistence that such a practice is irrelevant to their lives. Is the power of social media to erode traditions the culprit of such a demise, or merely a red herring? A case study of the most popular social media site among young Catalans during this period will reveal that the lifespan of a tradition is surprisingly not platform-dependent.
Research Interests:
Seemingly detached from physical locales, the Internet, computers and mobile devices offer myriad opportunities for personal and social transformation. Twitter has been overzealously credited with enabling revolution; Facebook has become... more
Seemingly detached from physical locales, the Internet, computers and mobile devices offer myriad opportunities for personal and social transformation. Twitter has been overzealously credited with enabling revolution; Facebook has become a household word; YouTube launches nobodies to stardom; and blogs provide soapboxes for any web denizens wishing to vent their frustrations or publish their thoughts.
Given the ubiquity and global reach of new media, it is not surprising that fears surrounding the potential eradication of traditional cultural forms are common and recurring in the digital age. However, in part, this paper suggests that any potentially transformative powers afforded to digital media are actually tied to the socio-cultural contexts of everyday, offline life within specific geographic locales rather than belonging to the technology itself. As such, digital spaces are best understood as local places contiguous with the urban geography.
Derived from 15 months of fieldwork in a Catalan city, the case study in this paper describes a daily social drama emblematic of Spanish culture known as the "paseo" or "passeig". This activity, which takes place on the Rambla - a public square in the city centre - is presently regarded by residents of all ages as threatened by modernity and therefore on the decline. But is it possible that this "endangered" cultural form has found new life online? By drawing parallels between the practice of interactive photo-blogging and the passeig, it becomes possible to obviate notions about the dangers of virtual spaces and, in turn, to situate new media practices as genuinely local.
Given the ubiquity and global reach of new media, it is not surprising that fears surrounding the potential eradication of traditional cultural forms are common and recurring in the digital age. However, in part, this paper suggests that any potentially transformative powers afforded to digital media are actually tied to the socio-cultural contexts of everyday, offline life within specific geographic locales rather than belonging to the technology itself. As such, digital spaces are best understood as local places contiguous with the urban geography.
Derived from 15 months of fieldwork in a Catalan city, the case study in this paper describes a daily social drama emblematic of Spanish culture known as the "paseo" or "passeig". This activity, which takes place on the Rambla - a public square in the city centre - is presently regarded by residents of all ages as threatened by modernity and therefore on the decline. But is it possible that this "endangered" cultural form has found new life online? By drawing parallels between the practice of interactive photo-blogging and the passeig, it becomes possible to obviate notions about the dangers of virtual spaces and, in turn, to situate new media practices as genuinely local.
Forcing a transition to remote learning around the world, the pandemic has introduced myriad challenges for teaching anthropology. However, it has also brought new opportunities for improving coursework with creative digital methods and... more
Forcing a transition to remote learning around the world, the pandemic has introduced myriad challenges for teaching anthropology. However, it has also brought new opportunities for improving coursework with creative digital methods and online resources. As a digital anthropologist, I asked myself: can an entire anthropology course be taught using only freely available online materials? If so, what could it look like? I am happy to share the results of my experiment. Aimed at introducing students to the fundamentals of cultural anthropology, “Ethnographic Insights Across Cultures” is an engaging 13-week syllabus supported by carefully curated readings, videos, and activities. “Nascent Worlds” is a build-your-own-culture adventure that inspires students to become ethnographers of an invented society. Both are ready to use and free to modify and share.
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The Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) is a nonprofit anthropological research organization founded at Yale University in 1949. HRAF produces two membership-supported online databases for cross-cultural research: eHRAF World Cultures and... more
The Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) is a nonprofit anthropological research organization founded at Yale University in 1949. HRAF produces two membership-supported online databases for cross-cultural research: eHRAF World Cultures and eHRAF Archaeology. Combined, these collections represent the largest anthropological databank in the world. Additionally, HRAF offers open access resources for teaching and learning. Virtually every HRAF-built project is conceived, developed, produced and distributed by our small and dedicated in-house team. Our goal is to expand access to educational resources for faculty, students, librarians, and researchers around the world. From colleges, universities, museums, and libraries to cross-cultural researchers within and beyond the social sciences and the academy, we believe that a dedication to cultural discovery in all forms can be at the forefront of a public-facing anthropology. This paper will address the challenges of developing, curating, and maintaining digital resources for teaching and learning anthropology.
Research Interests:
The Human Relations Area Files at Yale University is a membership-supported nonprofit organization committed to developing dynamic, expertly indexed and curated online anthropological databases. We provide support services to over 500... more
The Human Relations Area Files at Yale University is a membership-supported nonprofit organization committed to developing dynamic, expertly indexed and curated online anthropological databases. We provide support services to over 500 academic member institutions from around the world. Our mission is to promote understanding of cultural diversity and commonality in the past and present. As the largest anthropological data bank in the world, eHRAF features global samples of cultures and traditions, with ethnographic and archaeological data subject-indexed at the paragraph level. In this workshop, participants will learn more about the eHRAF databases, including how cultures and traditions are organized by regions, sub-regions, samples, and subsistence types.
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Panel no. 41 - Technology: Teaching and Learning Anthropology Around the World Advances in technology have enabled new ways to teach and learn anthropology across the globe. This panel will explore the use of online resources in the... more
Panel no. 41 - Technology: Teaching and Learning Anthropology Around the World
Advances in technology have enabled new ways to teach and learn anthropology across the globe. This panel will explore the use of online resources in the teaching and learning of anthropology internationally and global knowledge exchange. These resources include online databases, e-libraries, e-books, audiovisual material (creating and consuming it), social media, online courses, podcasts, websites, video calls or video conferencing. Papers will address questions of access and barriers to resources and research for teachers and learners, both in and outside universities, around the world. Questions that need to be answered include: What technology solutions are needed to make teachers and life-long learners of anthropology aware of the possibilities for accessing online resources and how can we support teachers and learners in accessing the information they need?; What role can technology play in raising the public awareness of anthropology?; How can technology support the teaching and learning of anthropology for people with disabilities?; How can we facilitate global knowledge exchange and connect learners with other learners and teachers with other teachers?; How can we adapt resources developed in one country to local contexts in another? The links between language, technology and education lead us to ask: What written and spoken styles are used to present anthropology to different audiences?; In which languages are resources available and what does this mean for access? By bringing together global examples, we will explore the past, present and future possibilities of technology for learners and teachers to engage with anthropology.
Advances in technology have enabled new ways to teach and learn anthropology across the globe. This panel will explore the use of online resources in the teaching and learning of anthropology internationally and global knowledge exchange. These resources include online databases, e-libraries, e-books, audiovisual material (creating and consuming it), social media, online courses, podcasts, websites, video calls or video conferencing. Papers will address questions of access and barriers to resources and research for teachers and learners, both in and outside universities, around the world. Questions that need to be answered include: What technology solutions are needed to make teachers and life-long learners of anthropology aware of the possibilities for accessing online resources and how can we support teachers and learners in accessing the information they need?; What role can technology play in raising the public awareness of anthropology?; How can technology support the teaching and learning of anthropology for people with disabilities?; How can we facilitate global knowledge exchange and connect learners with other learners and teachers with other teachers?; How can we adapt resources developed in one country to local contexts in another? The links between language, technology and education lead us to ask: What written and spoken styles are used to present anthropology to different audiences?; In which languages are resources available and what does this mean for access? By bringing together global examples, we will explore the past, present and future possibilities of technology for learners and teachers to engage with anthropology.