Dr. Edward Fischer is the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University. He is also the founder of Maní+, an award-winning social enterprise in Guatemala that develops and produces locally sourced foods to fight malnutrition. Dr. Fischer advises the WHO-Europe on the cultural contexts of health, and serves on the board of the Maya Education Foundation. His research focusses on issues of political economy, values, wellbeing, and development. He has authored or edited a number of books, including most recently The Good Life: Aspiration, Dignity, and the Anthropology of Wellbeing (2014). Dr. Fischer is currently working on a project that examines the ways moral and economic values are intertwined in the high-end coffee market.

In this episode, we focus mostly on the anthropology of wellbeing, also known as positive anthropology, as developed by Dr. Fischer. Before tackling the topic, we talk about the different branches of anthropology in the US. We then get into questions regarding the good life, values, stated and revealed preferences, and meta-preferences. We also mention how the market allows for the expression of values. Finally, we talk about Dr. Fischer’s work on the Maya culture in Guatemala, their values, and in what ways they connect with coffee production.

Follow Dr. Fischer’s work:

Faculty page: http://bit.ly/2qXQVzm

Personal website: http://bit.ly/31PhRPM

ResearchGate profile: http://bit.ly/35o8nvZ

Books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/38qOQfK

The Good Life: Aspiration, Dignity, and the Anthropology of Wellbeing: https://amzn.to/2HizQos

A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: KARIN LIETZCKE, ANN BLANCHETTE, PER HELGE LARSEN, LAU GUERREIRO, JERRY MULLER, HANS FREDRIK SUNDE, BERNARDO SEIXAS, HERBERT GINTIS, RUTGER VOS, RICARDO VLADIMIRO, BO WINEGARD, VEGA GIDEY, CRAIG HEALY, OLAF ALEX, PHILIP KURIAN, JONATHAN VISSER, DAVID DIAS, ANJAN KATTA, JAKOB KLINKBY, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, JOHN CONNORS, PAULINA BARREN, FILIP FORS CONNOLLY, DAN DEMETRIOU, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ARTHUR KOH, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, MAX BEILBY, COLIN HOLBROOK, SUSAN PINKER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, PABLO SANTURBANO, SIMON COLUMBUS, PHIL KAVANAGH, JORGE ESPINHA, AND CORY CLARK!

A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, ROSEY, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, IAN GILLIGAN, SERGIU CODREANU, AND LUIS CAYETANO!

AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, MICHAL RUSIECKI!

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