Donna Haraway’s “Cyborg Theory” develops a way of tackling technology and society which moves past the sterile tracing of relational networks of many techno-social theories and allows for a radical approach to discourse and hybridity in social theory and ethnographic research.
Read MoreThe Language of Compassion in Fieldwork
While conducting my PhD fieldwork in west-central Nepal I found that showing respect, compassion and care for the non-human members of the communities in which I was doing research went a long way to build trust and points of connection between myself as an outside researcher and the people and social worlds that I was trying to get to know.
Read MoreQuestioning the ‘Over There’ and ‘A Long Time Ago’ of Imperialism
I am a social anthropology student who focuses on imperial memory rather than history. Often, people think I’m a history student or suggest that I talk to their colleague or friend somewhere in Africa/Asia/Latin America. This suggests to me that there’s a common conception present that imperialism was ‘a long time ago’ and ‘over there.’
Read MoreScene Analysis: The Lion King: “Be Prepared”
The Lion King is one of those spectacles you cannot help but enjoy. Whether you are watching the 1994 animated film or the 1997 Broadway musical, to quote Scar, It’s to die for. For this scene analysis I’ll be looking at Scar’s ‘villain song.’ Every Disney film has one, and “Be Prepared” might be the best, and is definitively the most political, of the lot.
Read MoreThe Powerful Language of Migration
What is this 'language of immigration'? Is there a way to talk about migration whilst avoiding any kind of direct or indirect discrimination? While it is easy to recognise the stereotypical inventory of metaphors, such as references to 'invasions', 'flows' or 'waves', commonly used to describe migration, in this article I argue that so-called politically-correct terminology can have significant negative consequences on the lives of migrants’.
Read MoreA ‘magic pill’ to treat them all!
The pharmaceuticalisation of health supports the assumption that a ‘magic pill’ can effectively treat or control any social, behavioural or bodily conditions. I explore the contribution of patients, doctors and pharmaceutical companies to such pharmaceuticalisation of health, while keeping in mind that other actors such as governments and professional institutions are also involved.
Read MoreDiagnoses for Sale
In this piece, Lillian critiques a recent NHS England policy that has led to doctors getting paid extra for diagnosing dementia in their patients. The author articulates important insights in her assessment, addressing both healthcare and social policy implications, and finishes by proposing a potential way forward.
Read MoreEveryday Acts: Blurring the Individual and the Institution
“Organic Jim” is how he’s known as in Marchmont. Jim doesn’t have a home, as most people would define it, and he spends much of his time roaming around the streets of this area of Edinburgh. I first got to know Jim when I was walking home from a friend’s place. He was sitting next to a dumpster bundled up in blankets, and I asked him what his name was.
Read MoreAll I get is that I don’t get it: Thoughts on Mobility and Sense of Place
As an academically-inclined person I am driven to understand stuff. More precisely, as an anthropologist, I want to understand why people do certain things or how their actions are interwoven and related. Attempting to make sense of the actions of one particular community has left me wondering, “Can we ever fully grasp another culture’s rationale?”
Read MoreThe cost of denying NHS staff fair pay
Energy coursed through my body during the opening address at the Royal College of Midwives Conference in November. Warwick criticised the UK government for its decision to deny NHS midwives the 1% pay increase that had been recommended for NHS staff, while increasing pay for MPs by 10%
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