AnthroPod

The Ottoman archives contain just over a hundred photographs that look like old family portraits, but they were created for an entirely different purpose. They document the renunciation of Ottoman nationality, "terk-i tabiiyet," by Armenian emigrants bound for the US and elsewhere. As our guest Zeynep Devrim Gürsel explains, the photographs were "anticipatory arrest warrants for a crime yet to be committed"--the crime of returning to the Ottoman Empire. Gürsel's research goes far beyond the story of the small number of photographs that remain as she has documented over four thousand individuals who went through the process of "terk-i tabiiyet." In this Ottoman History Podcast-AnthroPod collaboration, we talk to Gürsel about her research project on the production, circulation and afterlives of these photographs titled "Portraits of Unbelonging." It is a double-sided history that explores not only the context of Armenian migration and policing during the late Ottoman period but also the experiences of those pictured and their descendants following their departure from the Ottoman Empire. (Recorded August 2019) In memory of Mary Lou Savage (née Khantamour) Contributors: Beth Derderian (AnthroPod), Zeynep Devrim Gürsel (Rutgers University), and Chris Gratien (Ottoman History Podcast).

Katherine Verdery reflects on working through her Securitate file and ethnographers' positionalities, her research in Eastern Europe prior to the fall of communism, and what anthropology offers at moments when the episteme shifts.

AnthroPod explores the intersection of anthropology and poetry with guests Darcy Alexandra and Ather Zia. They discuss topics such as violence, trauma, and migration through ethnographic poetry, the value of audiovisual storytelling, stylistic choices in poetry, and the unique experiences of women in Kashmir through Dr. Zia's book Resisting Disappearances.

The "Anthropology and/of Mental Health" series is a two-part exploration of anthropologists' experiences with mental health. In this episode, Anar expands the conversation about mental health in anthropology through conversations and contributions about attention, grief, and unexpected changes to our plans for fieldwork and research.  For more information, as well as a transcript of the episode, visit the shownotes page at: https://culanth.org/fieldsights/anthropology-and-of-mental-health-pt-2 Musical intro and outro: All the Colors in the World by Podington Bear. Transitions: Entwined Oddities by Blue Dot Sessions. Sound Effects: Radio Transition by psyckoze. Logo designed by Janita van Dyk.

Hunleth and Yount-André discuss Hunleth's research on children's caregiving amid Zambia's tuberculosis (TB) outbreak and trace parallels with today's COVID19 pandemic. They look at the role of proximity, recognizing the different ways children offer care, how to discuss disease with children and problematize the idea of disclosure, and the moral valences that become attached to disease and the people who suffer from them - particularly around privilege and vulnerability.

Jonathan Rosa discusses raciolinguistic ideologies, a framework developed by Rosa and Professor Nelson Flores (University of Pennsylvania) to critique the racialization of various speaking subjects and their linguistic practices. The interview begins with a focus on this concept and related themes in Rosa’s book, then turns to a consideration of broader implications of this work for academia, anthropology in particular. A common thread throughout this interview is the issue of coloniality, both broadly construed and more specifically with regard to how it shapes and manifests within educational contexts. In particular, Rosa comments on the question of decolonizing or unsettling anthropology, reflecting in some closing remarks on the usefulness and concerns around platforms such as #AnthroTwitter for challenging the colonial logics within our own discipline. For more information and a transcript of this episode, visit: https://culanth.org/fieldsights/raciolinguistic-ideologies-and-decolonizing-anthropology-a-conversation-with-jonathan-rosa

Anthropology activists Sophie Chao and Bianca Williams discuss mapping as an activist mode of research, power dynamics in anthropology, the significance of sound in understanding landscapes, pursuing happiness for Black women, and the concept of time in activism.

In a thought-provoking discussion, Professors Beatriz-Reyes Foster and Rebecca Lester dive into the intersection of anthropology and mental health. They share insights from their blog series on trauma and resilience in ethnographic fieldwork, highlighting the mental health challenges faced by researchers. They emphasize the need for better institutional support, reflective practices, and a cultural shift towards nurturing academic environments. Their narratives explore the emotional toll of fieldwork and advocate for ongoing conversations around mental health in anthropology.

Ruth Behar speaks with Kristen Ghodsee about how anthropologists can be public intellectuals: They discuss how can anthropologists maintain credibility as scholars within the academy while also speaking to broader audiences; the necessity of patience and thinking of a career over the long duree; the productive spaces and possibilities within the discipline to reach out; and tips and suggestions for how to write in ways that appeal to non-academic audiences.

Guests Camilla Ida Ravnbøl and Marie Kolling explore the impact that digitalizing economies have on communities that are poor and highly cash dependent. The episode features Ravnbøl's research with Roma migrants at the Roskilde Festival, a music festival in Denmark that went cashless in 2017 but has developed accommodations for cash-dependent Roma migrants who collect bottles for refunds. Rich soundscapes anchor the listener in the ethnographic context of this research.