Anthropology Today最新文献

In Beirut, the role of ‘local strong men’, known as the masoul, has significantly transformed, particularly in Lebanon's financial crisis and since the devastating Beirut port explosion in August 2020. Traditionally, these armed henchmen, affiliated with mainstream political parties, have exerted control over the scrap metal industry, from collection to transportation. However, the increasing profitability of scrap metal, notably copper and iron – long-standing leading exports – has led to new forms of ‘local strong men’, termed ‘asabet (gangs). These groups have escalated violence, breaking from what was previously considered normative behaviour. This article examines these evolving protection practices and their implications for Lebanon's sociopolitical landscape.

Front and back cover caption, volume 40 issue 1

EYE IN THE SKY: ANTHROPOLOGY IN THE DRONE ERA

A civilian contractor launches a V-BAT surveillance and reconnaissance drone from the USS Rushmore in the Philippine Sea. Manufactured by the California-based startup Shield AI, the V-BAT takes off vertically and operates autonomously without operator guidance or GPS (global positioning system). Its ‘swarming’ capability allows for potential combat use.

Drones have had a profound impact in theatres of war for decades, causing lethal outcomes for combatants and non-combatants alike. The US-led ‘war on terror’ in regions like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen has seen drone strikes causing tens of thousands of deaths, including many civilians. Beyond the direct, destructive impact, American drone pilots report significant mental health issues like anxiety, depression and PTSD due to the nature of remote-controlled warfare.

Recent conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have seen an expansion in the types of drones used, ranging from inexpensive commercial drones with explosives to advanced armed drones. While traditionally operated remotely, there is an increasing shift towards autonomous functioning.

This escalation in drone warfare technology, particularly the development of lethal autonomous weapon systems, has led to warnings of a global AI arms race involving powers like the US, China and Russia. The concept of ‘sensor-to-shooter’ machine learning infrastructures by military planners underscores the ethical, moral and sociopolitical dilemmas in a world increasingly leaning towards algorithmic warfare.

In this issue, Roberto González argues that anthropologists need to illuminate how drone warfare impacts societies, the effects on both operators and targeted populations and the broader sociopolitical implications of autonomous weapons. This critical, publicly oriented anthropological perspective is essential to navigating the complex interplay of technology, ethics and human values in modern warfare, offering a deeper understanding of the societal impacts of these rapidly evolving military technologies.

UNRAVELLING ‘REAL’ KINSHIP

This thought-provoking Illustration shows the contrast between the idealized concept of unilineal descent and the intricate realities of kinship in everyday life. The left side of the image displays a simplified, stylized, unilineal family tree. With its clear, vertical lines, this depiction symbolizes kinship as a straightforward, linear progression. It embodies an idealized perspective on lineage, where relationships are traced through a single ancestral line, mirroring classical kinship theory.

Conversely, the right side of the image presents a more complex and interwoven family tree. This part challenges the simplistic notions of unilineal descent, revealing kinship's rich, multifaceted nature. Here, the interconnected lines represent a spectrum of relationships ex

In May 2015, my mother was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer and passed away three months later at the age of 78. Two years later, my older brother, only 53 at the time, was also diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He passed away 15 months later. With this news, we engaged in the genetic retelling of family histories and connections, drawing genealogical maps on pieces of paper that reminded me of teaching Anthro 101 and starkly reimagined which relatives ‘mattered’ in our lives. As an anthropologist interested in subject formation and spatiality informed by a Foucauldian analytic, I have been propelled into exploring what it means to become ‘high risk’ (as a biologically related daughter and sister), subject to new regimes of surveillance and self-management espoused by the field of precision medicine. This paper addresses this experience and thus contributes to questions of subject formation within the already-existing truth-making practices of genetic probability and personalized risk management.

This guest editorial examines how diasporic communities influence modern wars amidst globalization and rising ethnonationalism. It discusses historical tensions between states and diasporas during conflicts, referencing world wars and recent issues involving Chinese Americans in the US. The editorial highlights the roles played by diasporas in various conflicts, including the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II, scrutiny of Chinese Americans during Trump's presidency, and Irish expatriates’ involvement with the IRA. It focuses particularly on the Israel-Gaza conflict, noting the active participation of Israeli and Palestinian diasporas in North America, often marked by internal disagreements. The piece argues that these diasporas, though physically distant from the conflicts, significantly influence global perspectives and the nature of warfare through public opinion and social media, thereby reshaping the contemporary understanding of war.

This article examines the use of military drones over the past 20 years. It includes the following: (1) a critical review of how drone warfare in the US-led ‘war on terror’ affected drone crews and those ‘living under drones’; (2) an analysis of how drone warfare in Ukraine and Russia differs from previous deployments of the technology; and (3) a careful assessment of what lies ahead, as national governments and technology firms race to develop AI-enabled drones and autonomous weapons systems on a broad scale.