In this live event, anthropologist Roberto J. González will discuss his new book, War Virtually: The Quest to Automate Conflict, Militarize Data, and Predict the Future.
Requiem for a War RobotAn anthropologist explores the brave new world of virtual warfare—and the fraught relationship between humans and machines.
Hard WaterA poet-anthropologist honors World Poetry Day with a piece that imagines alchemizing the suffering and devastation of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The Politics of “Ukraine” Versus “the Ukraine”In Russian, the difference between the terms “Ukraine” and “the Ukraine” is not just descriptive or geographical.
How Bureaucracy Conceals Obligations to Afghan RefugeesTens of thousands of Afghans who helped the U.S. during a 20-year war were recently left behind in Afghanistan, despite promises to keep them safe. Anthropological research sheds light on how paperwork and logistics serve as convenient covers for the U.S. to escape its moral obligations.
Introducing the Other “AI”: Anthropology IntelligenceThe 1950s Hollywood movie The Bridge on the River Kwai, about a Japanese POW camp during World War II, nearly contained a fascinating side story about a dedicated archaeologist prisoner. Hendrik Robert van Heekeren deserves the spotlight.
How Sweat Lodge Ceremonies Heal War’s WoundsAfter trying conventional treatments for PTSD, an anthropologist who is also a veteran stepped into the first of many Native American ceremonies for vets and emerged with much more than he initially expected.
Spelling a Nation’s NameAn archaeologist grappling with the recent history of war and genocide in the Balkans dives into the debate over how to name the territory known as either “Kosova” or “Kosovo.”
How Rats Are Overturning Decades of Military NormsAn anthropologist explores how the use of rats to clear ordnance in Cambodia is changing the culture of mine clearance.