Anthropology Today最新文献

Ongoing attempts to develop a ‘transformative’ relationship between anthropology and theology have exhorted anthropologists to look to theology to ‘unsettle’ existing understandings of the discipline's goals and potential. This article explores the ‘transformative’ relationship between anthropology and theology by examining E.E. Evans-Pritchard's perspective on fieldwork, influenced by his Catholic faith and mysticism. Evans-Pritchard saw both fieldwork and mysticism as rooted in shared experiential knowledge, challenging the discipline's secular foundation and reframing the relationship between anthropology and theology as grounded in a shared concern for experiential knowledge. Refiguring participant observation fieldwork in this way – as sharing a fundamental aspect with something as profoundly religious as mysticism – not only disrupts anthropology's understanding of its secular constitution but also reframes the relationship between anthropology and theology. This shift moves the relationship from one barred by a lack of shared beliefs to one potentially grounded in joint attention to and care for experiential knowledge.

This guest editorial proposes a ‘new humanism’ in response to the challenges facing traditional humanist thought. Although humanism has been criticized by both left-wing postcolonial and right-wing populist viewpoints, it is argued that completely renunciating humanist ideas could have harmful effects. Instead, it proposes a revitalized humanism that disregards the previous humanism's emphasis on novelty and advancement at the price of custom and continuity. This new approach emphasizes rejuvenation rather than repudiation of the past and seeks to relearn coexistence with all planetary beings. It challenges accusations of anthropocentrism and Eurocentrism, proposing a ‘multiversal’ conversation that acknowledges human exceptionalism in speech while respecting diverse voices and regional attachments. The guest editorial concludes by calling for a praxis of study, potentially anthropology, that prioritizes the reproduction of human life and its kinship with other beings over technological advancement.

One might expect skateboarders to be jubilant that the Olympics recognized theirs as an Olympic sport, but their response is ambivalent. Alexis Sablone, a women's street competition participant, does not consider skateboarding ‘a sport’. What is it if not a sport? This article argues that it is a fugitive, non-teleological, open-source practice for creating new ‘existential territories’ – new forms of personhood, public space and social relationships. Skateboarders’ resistance to centralization and their emphasis on DIY creativity suggests skateboarding involves challenging culturally specific and local norms. It rests on creative remakings of derelict and unevenly developed urban spaces and the construction of new forms of identity and social purpose. The argument is based on fieldwork with the Osaka Daggers.

This article examines the rise of algorithmic policing in the United States, focusing on predictive policing platforms and facial recognition technologies. Part 1 explores how companies like PredPol, Palantir and Clearview AI have developed data-driven tools to predict and prevent crime and identify suspects. The article analyses the historical context, technological development and implementation of these systems by law enforcement agencies. It also discusses the concerns raised by critics, including issues of privacy, racial bias and the potential for reinforcing discriminatory policing practices. Through case studies and examples, the article illustrates how these technologies have impacted communities, particularly communities of colour. It examines the complex interplay between Silicon Valley startups, venture capital and law enforcement in shaping modern policing practices.