Creating a Story: Large-Scale Bioenergy Production and Its Critics in Sierra Leone

‘How thousands of farmers lost everything’ states the title of a recent Dutch newspaper article about the consequences of a large-scale bioenergy project in Sierra Leone. The narrative may sound strong and clear, but it is also partial and suggestive.

Robert Pijpers • April 03, 2018 • 4 comments

Footage of Failure: Multimodality in Practice

Failure is an unavoidable aspect of the ethnographic enterprise. And yet, failure should not be seen as a dead end. In the context of the FR&T program, we piloted a multimodal research collaboration that required embracing failure as a reoccurring theme.

Sabine Luning and Mark Westmoreland • March 22, 2018

“Dance, Sister! Dance!” New Ways of Doing Ethnography in the City

“Dance, sister! Dance!” Dina is prodding my side, encouraging me to stand up and dance. “My friend is asking you to dance!” She points at her smartphone, which is videotaping us. The word ‘live’ shows that we are broadcasting live on Facebook.

Lennie Geerlings • February 19, 2018 • 1 comment

The Leiden School of Multimodal Ethnography?

In this blog, Mark Westmoreland provides some insights into how the Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology at Leiden University engages with multimodal teaching & research. This is part 2 of a blog series on multimodal anthropologies.

Mark Westmoreland • January 10, 2018

A Christmas Story: Health Insurance in the Netherlands

What do christmas and health insurance have in common? By using christmas as an example two underlying principles of health insurance become apparent: solidarity and consumer practices.

Nikkie Buskermolen • December 22, 2017

Multimodal Anthropology?

In his blog series, visual anthropologist Mark Westmoreland sets out to explore the new vibrant mode of scholarship called multimodal anthropology, and what it means for (visual) anthropology. This is part one.

Mark Westmoreland • November 27, 2017

Learning and Belonging in Ladies-Only Kickboxing

Kickboxing has been promoted to young Muslim and Moroccan-Dutch women as a tool for empowerment. How can we understand their participation in sports? How are their practices influenced by dominant discourses, policies, and media on the female Muslim body?

Jasmijn Rana • October 24, 2017

Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est

If knowledge itself is power, then how should we relate to data-hungry companies eager to improve our lives and lifestyles? The science fiction TV-show ‘Orphan Black’ might offer us some interesting answers.

Nikki Mulder • September 25, 2017

'The Right to Vote' and Catalan Independence

Politicians in Barcelona are preparing for a new political battle as the Catalan nationalists' referendum is bound to take place on 1 October. Will it lead to new court cases because the referendum is unconstitutional?

Gerard Persoon • July 11, 2017 • 2 comments