"Current Events Offer Study Opportunities for Anthropologists" - article by Holly McCarthy

Most of us are in our final year here now, many of us spreading around in travels and research already in search of concrete possibilities.. We had the chance to have a talk by Pr. Pat Caplan on the topic of employability who returned to us this January after the ISEFF festival. Unfortunately it is difficult for students to collectively engage in such issues as we are faced with the fragmentation of goals and concerns within a very wide field... But it is possible.

The following post is a contribution by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of recognized online universities.
Holly invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12@gmail.com

Current Events Offer Study Opportunities for Anthropologists

In our current world climate, there are a myriad of things for an anthropologist to study. From the economic downturn affecting the economies of nearly all of the major powers in the world to the food shortages suffered by developing nations, anthropologists only need to find an area of specialty and get ready to dig in their heels for the wild ride ahead. The coming months and years will surely provide plenty of material for anthropologists to pore over.

Food Shortages

Food shortages still exist in a world that is dominated by financial, rather than humanitarian interests and have only been exacerbated by the Western desire to create bio-fuels. How cultures deal with the prospect of hunger in the world is something that is not new, but continues to plague underdeveloped nations and the solution to these problems lie in the hands of those in power in advanced nations.

Fair Trade

Though the notion of Fair Trade consumption is not a new one, it has yet to catch on. Why wouldn’t people want to ensure that those working hard to produce the goods that we use on a daily basis were fairly compensated for their hard work? This is a good question, and one that may finally be answered in our lifetimes. Fair Trade goods help people on all ends of the consumer chain by making sure that everyone can become a greater participant in global economics.

Economic Crisis

Greed and power struggles have paved the way for serious economic strife if major changes to the world economic system are not made. How the powers that be plan on taking care of this elephant in the room will be something that is studied by academics in all fields for many years to come. From an anthropological standpoint, what is valued by certain cultures within society will certainly help shape the way things ultimately play out down the road.

While some critics believe that the field of anthropology has outlasted its usefulness, one only has to look at the emerging global cultural climate and the many opportunities for field research and study. The world is a changing place and witnessing the growth of a new kind of culture is something that can be done in real time, rather than having to reverse-engineer it after the fact.