Many people would argue that the journal, World Development, is one of the most pre-eminent publications in the field of development. Knowing that, I decided to search it for articles on Haiti. My search resulted in two articles that actually contain the word Haiti in the title: one on collective action and watershed management published [...]
• Symbols of trauma and spirituality in ruins in Haiti Rebuilding symbolic structures and spaces are an important part of helping Haiti recover from the earthquake disaster. In Port-au-Prince, the National Cathedral, the presidential palace, the parliament building, the United Nations headquarters, and local churches have collapsed or are in ruins. An article in the [...]
In rural Haiti, before entering anyone’s yard, one calls out : “Onè! (Honor!), waiting to hear the welcome, “Respe!” (Respect) before entering. Cultural anthropologist Jennie Smith-Paríolá did long term fieldwork with “peasant” groups in Haiti’s Northeast, Central Plateau, and Grand Anse regions. She learned much about the values of honor/respect and how they infuse Haitians [...]
Guest Post by Samuel Martínez David Brooks’ New York Times op-ed, “The Underlying Tragedy,” debates a major truth: there is no such thing as a “natural disaster,” only natural adversities for which humans are better or worse prepared to cope. He spins so many mistruths from that insight, however, that the “tough love” approach that [...]
This list is intended to provide a guide to recent resources on culture and society in Haiti for people who wish to be better informed about the context in which the recent earthquake and its devastation are occurring. With apologies, most of the journal articles are not public access. Furthermore, we really encourage everyone to [...]
For those of you in the D.C. area, our friends at the GW Institute for Middle East Studies (IMES) are hosting a very interesting talk next week: IMES Research Colloquium Theological Jihad in Osama Bin Laden’s Audiotape Library by Flagg Miller Cultural anthropologist and associate professor of religious studies University of California, Davis & Resident [...]
From the Washington Association of Professional Anthropologists (WAPA): The U.S. Census Bureau seeks up to 18 ethnographers to conduct short-term paid contract research for 4-6 months during Census 2010 data collection operations. The study aims to address the issue of persistent differential census miscounts of some race/ethnic subpopulations. Contract ethnographers will receive training at the [...]
UPDATE 1/14: This post was linked in a story by Discovery News’ James Williams. Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the island of Hispaniola. Following the island’s discovery by Columbus in 1492, Spanish colonialists exterminated the island’s indigenous Arawak Indians. In 1697, the French took control of what is now Haiti and instituted an exceptionally [...]
The attempt on Christmas day of the so-called underwear bomber to blow up a plane on its way to Detroit has raised worldwide concern about passenger no-fly lists, increased airport security checks, and civil liberties. Two recent survey-based studies conducted in the United States before the Christmas day event shed light on Americans’ attitudes toward [...]
• Tell it to the Marines NPR aired an interview with cultural anthropologist Paula Holmes-Eber who teaches “operational culture” at Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia. Classes include discussion of cultural sensitivity and the cultural/social consequences of military presence and military actions, such as blowing up a bridge. • Nacirema craziness goes global In an [...]
