Anthropology

Applied Anthropology
Posted by Alelo | July 18, 2016

When I was in graduate school, plenty of people asked me the dreaded question every anthropology student hears: “What are you going to do with that?” The question is a...

What is Anthropology?
Posted by Alelo | May 19, 2016

When I tell people I meet that I’m an anthropologist, I sometimes get a blank stare in return. Occasionally someone will ask if I’ve dug up any cool artifacts lately...

What is Culture Shock?
Posted by Alelo | March 23, 2016

The first time I lived abroad, in Argentina, I wrote an excited letter to an old friend. "I am living in a place that is very similar to the States...

Low- and High-Context Communication
Posted by Alelo | February 24, 2016

One morning during my fieldwork in Mexico, the dog dragged my freshly washed dress off the line and into the mud. I swore at him under my breath, and a...

Individualism and Collectivism
Posted by Alelo | January 13, 2016

When my friends in Mexico migrate within the country, they always go to places where they have family or townspeople. Even if they’ve heard that jobs are more plentiful elsewhere,...

Cultural Differences Around the U.S.
Posted by Alelo | September 29, 2015

About twelve years ago, a friend yelled at me for what he saw as constant interruptions. "You never let me finish talking," he said. I was confused. When had I...