AAA Conference Fashion Post!

November 17, 2013

Clothes for the AAA Conference

I have gotten a lot of traffic over the years from people searching for what to wear to conferences, particular anthropology conferences. So, I decided to post my AAA Conference wardrobe for this year. I hope it helps!

From my experience, conference goers wear a wide range of clothes from suits to blue jeans. However, my advice is to dress professionally but comfortably. You never know who you might meet at a conference and first impressions mean a lot, especially when you only get to talk to someone for a few minutes. I suggest wearing clothes that would be acceptable for a business casual environment.

That said, conferences can be long days in cities that require a lot of walking. So, be sure to wear something comfortable (especially your shoes). And, if you are going to the AAA conference this year in Chicago, dress warm; it is going to be cold!

Web Design Lessons from an Anthropologist

May 25, 2013

This is a presentation I did online for the North Carolina Community College Digital Designers and Developers Association on Friday. Enjoy!

P.S. This presentation was given as part of the awesome job that I am giving up to go back to school. Do you want to come work with me this summer and take over my job in the Fall?

It Isn’t Just About the Falsehood – Follow Up on the Chief Raoni Crying Meme

April 20, 2013

Chief Raoni in Paris presenting his petition.

Well, Internet, I am humbled by your affections. The post I wrote last Sunday about the Crying Chief Raoni meme has gotten 103,000 unique visitors from 197 countries in the last week. For a blog that usually ranges around 50-100 unique visitors a week, that is pretty amazing. Thank You!

All of those new readers brought in a lot of thoughts and ideas. So, I thought that I would write a follow-up post to talk about this issue with a bit more nuance.

There have been a few critiques from readers that argued that the problem was the falsehood in the meme and that my further assertions were dubious.

“This pulls into focus our own arrogance and biases against indigenous peoples. It does not help the cause or support Chief Raoni. It only makes us feel better about our lazy attempts to “save” people that we look down upon.”

There were two main arguments against this: (1) I shared it and that doesn’t describe me, and (2) the ends justify the means. (more…)

This Image Should NOT be Seen by the Whole World

April 15, 2013

Chief Raoni Metuktire of Brazil’s Kayapó

If your response is either “I shared it and this is not what I meant!” or “The ends justify the means!” then consider this: Follow Up Post

Why is Chief Raoni Metuktire of Brazil’s Kayapó tribe crying? According to a popular meme, it is because he received devastating news about the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam.

THIS IMAGE SHOULD BE SEEN BY THE WHOLE WORLD

While magazines and TV chains report about the lives and love affairs of movie actors and actresses, football players and other celebrities, the Chief of the Kayapo tribe heard the worst news of his entire life: (more…)

[Online or Offline?] Part II: Do you have to be using the Internet to be online?

April 6, 2013

Go to Part I: [Online or Offline?] Part I: Residue of the Past

Mike Rugnetta says no and I agree. In part one of this post series, I wrote about how many users think about digital data and tools as digital replicates of tangible tools and content because they learned computing during a transitional period between tangible tools to digital tools. I concluded, however, that as the user base for these digital tools loses that connection to this legacy, the line between online and offline becomes ambiguous. In this post, I will dive into that complexity.

What is the Internet?

This seems like it should be simple.

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide. (Wikipedia)

However, the technical definition, like the one above from Wikipedia, doesn’t describe the average understanding of the internet for most users.

(more…)

[Online or Offline?] Part I: Residue of the Past

March 10, 2013

I really enjoy the YouTube videos hosted by Mike Rugnetta on the PBS Idea Channel. The videos almost always leave me thinking.

This recent video on the online/offline distinction was right up my alley and even had a few blog inspiring moments.

(more…)

Ugh. Textbooks.

September 4, 2012

Jason Antrosio has done some really great textbook reviews on his blog, Living Anthropologically. He even reviewed a portion of the textbook I am currently using, Kottak’s Window on Humanity. I highly recommend reading them; he has some great criticisms, particularly in relation to race and human evolution.

This blog post probably won’t be as insightful or helpful. But, my goodness, does it make me feel better.

I really dislike four-field, introductory anthropology textbooks. I have never found one that I really liked or after reading it thought, “yeah, that will work well with my class.” The first time I encountered a four-field, introductory anthropology textbook — going forward referred to as simply textbook — was when I was taking my seminar on teaching anthropology in graduate school. (My undergraduate program required anthropology majors to take four introductory courses in lieu of of one general course.) We were each given a sample textbook and told to review it. This was the beginning of my dislike of these textbooks. Since then I have evaluated many textbooks for my general anthropology course and have yet to find one that works well with my class. I have settled for a textbook that can easily be read out of order and works well as a reference rather than a narrative and I teach my students to read it that way.
(more…)

Anthropology and Web Design (Part Two – Intimacy)

September 3, 2012

I am a web designer/developer and an anthropologist. Anthropology is my first and true love; but, at this stage in my career, it doesn’t do much to help me pay the bills on its own. So, after finishing my master’s course work I got a job as a web designer based on skills I picked up doing web design as a hobby. However, I do not see my detour into web design between my master’s and my doctorate as a step away from anthropology. Anthropology informs my design work and in my short career in web design I have conducted several ethnographic studies of the user groups I build for.
(more…)

Search Answers: “Good Clothing for Anthropologists”

August 22, 2012

Love that hat!

I get a lot of traffic from search engines. Posts in this category are answers or responses to the search queries that lead people to my blog.

I have had two people find there way to my blog with the search “good clothing for anthropologists.” My first thought, of course, was Indy. I mean when I think of what I would wear if I wanted say, “Look at me; I’m an anthropologist!” Indy is the first person who pops into my head. (more…)

Anthropology and Web Design (Part One – Who We Are)

August 18, 2012