Gallivanteer - noun; One Who Gallivants ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I travel the world and find unlikely stories in unorthodox places. Here you will find my thoughts, musings and other writings.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To navigate by genre, please see the categories at the of this page.
Anthropology of Consumption – Part 2: Coca Cola
The second part of this assignment focused on the social life of a can of Coca Cola. You can find part one here. These questions were taken from Igor Kopytoff’s The Cultural Biography of Things (1986). They were selected as these are the questions Kopytoff supposes might be asked of a commodity’s social history. Where did … Continue reading Anthropology of Consumption – Part 2: Coca Cola
Anthropology of Consumption – Part One
Similar to my previous piece, this is an extract from a larger project I completed as part of my material culture module. Occado For this lab session, I decided to “follow” my friend who ordinarily does her shopping on the online supermarket – Occado. She has asked to remain anonymous and shall be referred … Continue reading Anthropology of Consumption – Part One
Digital Anthropology
This is an extract from a project I completed as part of my degree. The images posted to, and links shared on, social media are non-tangible material culture, constituted largely of images. Beyond that, the structures of the sites themselves form social landscapes which inform their function. This is demonstrated by the Why We Post … Continue reading Digital Anthropology
How is human mate choice selected for by evolution?
If the purpose of evolution is to ensure the greatest chances of passing on the genes of a species, then mate choice is surely among the most important aspects of evolution. This essay will analyse the ways in which human mate selection is governed by evolution. Human mate choice is evolutionarily selected for, based upon … Continue reading How is human mate choice selected for by evolution?
What are the most important prerequisites for egalitarian living? Ethnographically illustrate your answer.
All existing egalitarian societies are hunter-gatherers. The absence of resource scarcity characterizes the physical characteristics and geographical locations of their societies (Bird-David,1990). This,however, is not what makes those societies egalitarian. Such societies have cultural standards of egalitarianism which must be actively enforced. This creates a meta-social structure which asserts egalitarian lifestyles. In this essay I … Continue reading What are the most important prerequisites for egalitarian living? Ethnographically illustrate your answer.
How Important was Piety in the Reign of Louis IX?
There is no reason to believe that the piety of Louis IX was not deep and sincere; indeed a confessor revealed that at one point in his life Louis considered abdication in favour of joining a monastery.[1] This being said, historians such as Jean Richard and Margaret Labarge have raised questions whether the institutional piety … Continue reading How Important was Piety in the Reign of Louis IX?
Was Frederick Barbarossa a Failure?
Upon his accession to the throne in 1152, Frederick Barbarossa became the leader of an empire which had fallen from grace thanks to incidents such as the Investiture Contest and was weakened by power struggles between the Welf and the Hohenstaufen families since the end of the Staufen line in 1125. Frederick’s main aim was … Continue reading Was Frederick Barbarossa a Failure?
Is there a conflict between Hobbes’s account of Sovereignty by Acquisition and Sovereignty by Institution?
“For it can never be that war shall preserve life, and peace destroy it.”[1] -Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan Thomas Hobbes’s seminal text Leviathan was published in England in 1651. The quote above summarises Hobbes's main concern voiced in the text; preserving peace. He believed that the best way to do this was by forming a government … Continue reading Is there a conflict between Hobbes’s account of Sovereignty by Acquisition and Sovereignty by Institution?
Mountains, Rivers, and Sights to Give You Shivers.
The agate water of the rushing Soča provides relief from the summer sun. Kayaks dodge the river’s treacherous rocks and hikers scramble up the mountains surrounding the deep valley the river has cut. With pristine nature and remarkably cheap prices, the Soča valley is an outdoor-lover’s paradise. In an … Continue reading Mountains, Rivers, and Sights to Give You Shivers.
So you want to be a Jedi?
According to census data, in 2001 Jediism was the fourth largest religion in the UK. For a few glorious years, Jediism was a larger religion in this country than Sikhism, Buddhism and Judaism. Though Jediism has since declined in Britain, there are still a couple of hundred thousand Jedi Knights walking among us. You too, … Continue reading So you want to be a Jedi?
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