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Dr. Jan Jansen is Lecturer at Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Leiden University

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Body Management in the Field

We all want to do fieldwork well. But what do such “researcher mindsets” do to our bodies when conducting participatory observation? Anna Notsu and Jan Jansen address some of the most important, yet little discussed, fieldwork practices: bodily engagements when hanging out with informants.

Jan Jansen and Anna Notsu • March 18, 2024

The longest Ethnography

In 1962 Djiguiba Camara asked his son Daouda to finish his manuscript of the region' history. Daouda dedicated his life to complete this politically highly sensitive manuscript, which included a forced exile from Guinée to Côte d’Ivoire. In this blog, Jan Jansen tells the story behind its creation and its publication.

Jan Jansen • February 16, 2024

Food for Anthropologists: Hare or Rabbit for Christmas?

During Christmas dinner preparations, one might wonder: 'rabbit or hare this year?' But when you look at this dilemma from an anthropologist’s perspective, the answer becomes loud and clear.

Jan Jansen • December 19, 2016 • 1 comment

Feel the heat – Fuel innovation in Ghana

It is charcoal, but not as we know it! - Professor David Miller has a mission to decrease the brain drain in Ghana. By making charcoals out of grass he found a great alternative that could benefit employment as well as sustainability development.

Jan Jansen • February 22, 2016 • 1 comment

Dompas: Apartheid in Utrecht?

There is an app that shows you the shortest way to downtown Utrecht, called the Dompas. It is embarrassing that the developers of this app haven’t ‘googled’ this term, and so missed its dirty history in apartheid policy.

Jan Jansen • March 10, 2014

Anthropology Rocks – On the Fair Use of YouTube (and Jimi Hendrix)

YouTube’s copyright policy refers to “fair use” of the material available at their website. But are we, academics, allowed to use material retrieved from YouTube for the documentation and teaching of Africa’s intangible heritage?

Jan Jansen • November 19, 2013