Archives

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  Vol. 21 No. 1 (2022)
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  Vol. 20 No. 1 (2020)
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  Vol. 19 No. 1 (2019)
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  Anthropology in London Day 2016

  Vol. 18 No. 1 (2018)
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  Open Issue

  Vol. 17 No. 2 (2017)
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  The 5th RAI Postgraduate Conference

  Vol. 17 No. 1 (2017)

  Anthropology and the Politics of Engagement

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  RAI Special Issue

  Vol. 16 No. 1 (2015)

  The 2nd Postgraduate Conference of the Royal Anthropological Institute: Anthropological Migrations and Frontiers

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  Ethnographies of the Opportunities and Risks of Neoliberalisation

  Vol. 15 No. 1 (2014)
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  Visibility: Representation and Recognition

  Vol. 14 No. 1 (2012)

• Knowledge Transfer: Exchanging Knowledge with the Field

  Vol. 13 No. 1 (2011)

  In contemporary academia, scholars are increasingly expected to prove the utility of academic knowledge.  Academics must provide evidence that their research output has applicability beyond the confines of the university and higher education institutions are often reminded by central governments of their duty to facilitate academics’ engagement with the public, policy-makers, industry and other ‘stakeholder groups’.  ‘Knowledge transfer’ between such groups and academics has become part of what makes a successful research proposal .  The demands of groups external to the academy now appear to shape much of the research output of universities. The Contributors to this issue respond to the following questions: What acts as a driver for these aims? What benefits and disadvantages do they bring?  Do people, institutions, and organisations in different fields around world share the same concerns?  Must knowledge always be useful?
  
  Contributors to this special issue of Anthropology Matters explore knowledge transfer in its widest possible sense.  In thinking as widely and creatively as they can about knowledge exchange, Contributors investigate the ways in which knowledge is transferred both within and outwith academic settings. They focus on knowledge transfer in relation to collaborative research projects in the UK, forced migration between Zimbabwe and South Africa, the genetic modification debate in South West England, lies and gossip in South East Brazil, the repair of solar photovoltaic technologies in India, intercultural education in Mexico, materials libraries in the UK, touch in a South African oncology ward, and photographic documentary making in Birmingham.  Their articles examine the different kinds of knowledge transferred and the kinds of institutions and people engaged in its transfer.  They also examine the different forms that knowledge might take.  I ask readers to reflect on what insights their explorations bring to the formal ‘knowledge transfer’ activities now held to be an important part of academic life.

   

• Anthropology Through Development: Putting Development Practice into Theory

  Vol. 12 No. 2 (2010)

  This special issue of Anthropology Matters frames the canonical question for development anthropologists in reverse.  Instead of asking how anthropological theory might be put into practice in development, it asks how engagements with development policy and practice might transform anthropology.  What kinds of theoretical insights have emerged from the anthropology of development?  What does the overlapping language of anthropology and development mean for ethnographic methodology?  How do relationships between anthropologists and development professionals affect the research process?  What can anthropologists learn from development work?

  Edited by Amy Pollard and Alice Street

  
  

• Exploring and Expanding the Boundaries of Research Methods

  Vol. 12 No. 1 (2010)

  This special edition of Anthropology Matters focuses on a fundamental question that virtually all social scientists encounter, namely how to conduct research on any given topic. Although this question appears straightforward at first pass, practical experience demonstrates the theoretical and pragmatic complexities involved in conducting research. For this special edition we are privileged to present papers from doctoral students and established academics.

  The impetus for bringing together these diverse papers emerged after we organised an international conference on the same topic. The conference, aptly entitled “Exploring and Expanding the Boundaries of Research Methods,” took place over two days on 31 October and 1 November 2008. The high turn-out of attendees and the ensuing lively discussions indicated the timeliness and importance of research methods and their ethical implications.

• Fieldwork support

  Vol. 11 No. 2 (2009)

  This issue of Anthropology Matters features an opening piece which presents the results of interviews with 16 PhD students concerning difficulties encountered during their fieldwork. The piece is both powerful and provocative, and will hopefully serve as an aid for thoughtful discussions in pre-fieldwork courses, post-fieldwork seminars, and departmental planning meetings. Anthropology Matters invited four academics to start the discussion by writing brief responses to Pollard’s account.

• Fieldwork identities

  Vol. 11 No. 1 (2009)

  The identities that are attributed to us and the roles we are placed in during fieldwork matter - to the people we study, to us, and to the research process. In this issue of Anthropology Matters, 11 authors reflect on fieldwork identities. Their reflections can be grouped loosely into three categories: reflections concerning perceived inequalities, differences or power relations, e.g. related to race or wealth; reflections concerning people's assumptions about the fieldworker based on the familiarity of his or her appearance, e.g. related to gender or age; and reflections concerning the negotiation that surrounds the role of "participant observer."

• Open Call

  Vol. 10 No. 2 (2008)

• Engaging Anthropology

  Vol. 10 No. 1 (2008)

  This issue, Engaging Anthropology, is dedicated to the memory of Paul Hendrich, who died on Wednesday, January 16, 2008. We are deeply grieved, devastated, to lose you, Paul.

• Writing Up and Feeling Down...

  Vol. 9 No. 2 (2007)

• Fielding Emotions

  Vol. 9 No. 1 (2007)

• From Play to Knowledge

  Vol. 8 No. 2 (2006)

• Doing Fieldwork in Eastern Europe

  Vol. 8 No. 1 (2006)

• Part One: The Politics of Publishing. Part Two: New Research.

  Vol. 7 No. 2 (2005)

• Special Issue: New methods in the anthropology of science and technology (ASA postgraduate panel 2003)

  Vol. 7 No. 1 (2005)

  Anthropology Matters would like to thank Rachel Borgman from Shimer College, USA for her editioral assistance in preparing this edition of the journal.

• Special Issue: Future Fields

  Vol. 6 No. 2 (2004)

• Special Issue: Cities

  Vol. 6 No. 1 (2004)

• Anthropology Matters Journal

  Vol. 5 No. 2 (2003)