Anthropologists are studying the global supply of human hair—a billion dollar industry for wigs, weaves, toupees, and more—that relies on hair pickers who gather discarded strands from streets and drains to make ends meet.
With no end to the COVID-19 pandemic in sight, people find themselves in a prolonged liminal state of transition. Why does that feel so unsettling?
As the U.S. closes in on Election Day 2020, an anthropologist remembers the chilling mix of cruelty and cheer he witnessed at a Trump victory rally after the 2016 election.
Evolutionary history can help resolve the question of why so many people desire a physical break even when their bodies need movement.
A singer-songwriter anthropologist who has been experiencing Italy’s COVID-19 quarantine reflects on how pandemic-inspired songs connect people and reveal shifting power dynamics.
Piles of backpacks, empty water jugs, and even high heels left scattered on migrant trails leave visible markers of the desperation and endurance of those who traveled there.
