World Heritage in the Netherlands (Part 1) For exploration you don’t always have to go to the far and exotic: An anthropologist who studies world heritage discourse and practice in West Africa decides to be adventurous and explore a World Heritage site in her own backyard. Henrike Florusbosch • September 01, 2014
Postcards from the field Just before leaving for my fieldwork I received a gift from two of my colleagues to take with me: a set of colouring pencils and blank postcards. What became of these empty pages and the promise to send drawings home while I was in the field? Zane Kripe • July 09, 2014 • 9 comments
Armenians from Turkey: From silence in Istanbul to cultural production in Beirut For Armenians in Turkey the twentieth century was marked by silence. This strongly contrasts with the history of those who left the country. In Beirut, the elderly speak emotionally about their experiences; younger people grow up with revolutionary songs. Wendelmoet Hamelink • June 17, 2014
Approaching Carthage: Image and Reality The Byrsa, the hill where the center of ancient Carthage was situated, is not very impressive. The image of Carthage in European collective memory is. Or is it not? Pieter ter Keurs • June 12, 2014 • 2 comments
Mali’s Heritage: Beyond Timbuktu Mali is in the news because of the deployment of Dutch military personnel. Media coverage conjures up images of the 2012 destruction of Timbuktu’s World Heritage mausoleums and mosques. Might heritage also have a role in bringing peace and national unity? Henrike Florusbosch • June 04, 2014
Roots 'en route': redesigning cultural heritages after migration Europe is said to be endowed with creativity because of its migrant youth, mixing heritages. But cultural diversity can only be a source of innovation if lost roots are dug up. Can new technology and museums provide help? Janine Prins • April 28, 2014
3 crucial issues in the upcoming South African elections The South African national elections take place on May 7 2014. What are they about? As the elections come closer, tensions intensify, rivalries become harsher, and scandals make headlines. Three concerns that run through everyday political rivalries: Erik Bähre • April 23, 2014
Why reading novels benefits ethnographic writing These days I mostly spend writing. On the precious moments that I manage to liberate myself from my laptop, I devour novels. Below some reflections on how reading fiction helps me improve my own anthropological writing (...and means to distract myself). Marlous van den Akker • April 14, 2014 • 4 comments
Function Creep After last years revelations of the NSA spying activities, hackers often despair over the lack of public interest in online privacy. An anthropological focus on the specific context of such activism may help explain this. Dorien Zandbergen • April 07, 2014