My Airbnb home is my market Is Airbnb a wonderful economic alternative based on sharing and morality? Or is it simply an illustration of our labour market being so problematic that people get more creative to make ends meet? A former Airbnb member tells her side of the story. Nikkie Buskermolen • June 16, 2015 • 1 comment
From Beyoncé to Markets – Anthropologists Studying Elites What does it entail to study elites: How do we anthropologists approach the rich and powerful? In this conversation Erik Bähre and Zane Kripe share some experiences and ideas. Erik Bähre and Zane Kripe • May 27, 2015 • 1 comment
“In my childhood we only played with empty shells” - Reporting from the frontlines Vager Saadullah is a journalist and political analyst, living in Duhok - the KRG region in North Iraq. I interviewed him in April about his life experiences in this region and his views on the war with the Islamic State and the future of Kurdistan. Wendelmoet Hamelink • May 13, 2015
All of one place: A Muslim saint, a converted Hindu princess, and a Hindu deity Ethnic and religious antagonisms are not givens, but the outcome of historical and political processes. Borders, as human-made conveyors of state-oriented conceptual frameworks, play a central role in shaping these. Erik de Maaker • May 06, 2015 • 1 comment
When dreams shape our day Dreams appear only to the individual, but seem to come from a source outside our social selves. Do we allow them to shape our days? Comparing Dutch and Kyrgyz social contexts, we understand how profoundly cultural these processes are. Nienke van der Heide • April 15, 2015 • 2 comments
Confrontational Self-Organization: Some Reflections from Oakland and San Francisco From Occupy to Black Lives Matter, the Californian cities of Oakland and San Francisco are on the frontlines of some of today's most important political struggles. In these cities systemic inequality and racism is palpable in every aspect of urban life. Marianne Maeckelbergh • April 01, 2015
The mindless knowledge economy We often assume that a technologically advanced economy is all about a highly skilled labour force engaging in creative forms of self-expression. However, the dream of getting rid of dull and boring jobs through automation seems to be a utopia. Zane Kripe • March 11, 2015 • 2 comments
Cold showers and amazing little buckets A story on how students from Leiden went to do research on problems with water in the Philippines and then very physically experienced their research topic. Or: How you can have both too little and too much water at the same time. Nina Simic • March 04, 2015 • 3 comments
My home is my (Airbnb) castle? In Amsterdam there are over 10,500 Airbnb addresses. ‘The easiest way for people to monetise their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions.’ Why does this ‘monetise your extra space’ resonate so well? And what about the neighbours? Nikkie Buskermolen • February 26, 2015 • 6 comments