Anthropology's Colonial Legacy and Modern Activism
This chapter examines the historical role of anthropology in service of imperialism before the 1960s and its evolution towards diverse perspectives that aim for cultural understanding. It critiques contemporary academia for its disconnection from actionable change, discussing themes of identity politics and the complexities of activism, particularly in relation to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Through specific examples and personal anecdotes, the chapter highlights the ongoing implications of past practices while addressing the challenges faced by modern activists and artists.
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Episode notes
What was supposed to be an informal QnA about the “Israel/Palestine ABCs” episode, turned into a What is Politics “live” brainstorm session à la Matt Christman “grillstream,” where I discuss my arguments and readings on who and what started the Israel/Palestine conflict which will appear in more detail (and coherence) in the next scripted episode. At 5hrs long, I didn’t even get to the QnAs yet … oops!
0:00 intro: ‘why is everything so stupid and shitty?’ / the “alignment problem” of our society
12:46 the social function of academia and universities from pre-WWII to today
31:17 freedom of speech is to protect the weak
41:06 recent activism victories regarding the assault on gaza (Canada and USA)
49:10 why i’m doing “brainstorm” episodes in between scripted episodes
1:10:00 Israel Palestine disinformation in news and history
1:20:40 why the assault on gaza is pure sadistic revenge and does the opposite of its purported goal of protecting israelis
1:31:38 war and violence
1:36:00 what israel could have done in response to oct. 7
1:45:50 who started the israel/palestine conflict?
