Anthropology Commons^™

Behind The Gens: A Bioarchaeological Study Of Kinship Structure And Social Change In Iron Age Latium, Italy, Andrea Noemí Acosta Caballero

Theses and Dissertations

The cemetery of Osteria dell’Osa is the only completely published Iron Age cemetery from Latium. Its research legacy continues as dietary, mobility, and biological affinity patterns were reconstructed through carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and strontium isotope analyses and biodistance analysis using bone and dental samples for this dissertation project. The main hypotheses tested are:

a) The diet of people buried at Osteria dell’Osa during the Iron Age likely consisted of mostly grains like wheat and barley, which may yield low carbon isotope signatures;

b) The protein consumption of the diet of people at Osteria dell’Osa was mainly composed of terrestrial protein …

Addressing Climate Vulnerability And Policy Gaps Of Heat Waves In Upper Egypt: The Case Study Of Al-A’Qaab Village In Aswan, Eman Abdullah

Theses and Dissertations

Heatwaves are currently one of the most dangerous climate hazards globally. Egypt is experiencing an increase in the intensity and frequency of heatwaves, which affects health, economy, infrastructure, and the ecological system. Upper Egypt is one of the most vulnerable regions in Egypt to rising temperatures, particularly in Aswan Governorate. The risks of heat waves are increasing vulnerability among vulnerable groups, such as women and low-income individuals. However, there is a clear gap in protection policies against heat waves, along with a lack of studies examining the effects of heat waves on individuals in Aswan. Accordingly, this thesis aims to …

The Power A Generation Holds: A Study On Students Generating Change In American Social Movements, Caroline E. Koziol

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Social activism ebbs and flows throughout American history. In the contemporary period, high visual coverage of activism has contributed to frustrations over the apparent decrease in change despite perceptions of increased participation. Young activists in the classroom ask questions to learn from their predecessors. This paper focuses on answering, “How can students create sustained change through social activism?” The present work recenters activism in the role of students and higher education institutions, noting their potential for creating change through a formula for future activists to engage with. The proposed formula targets methods and theories to bolster success towards the cause …

September 30, 2025 Nagpra And Tribal Relations Committee Meeting Minutes, Bryan Morey

University NAGPRA and Tribal Relations Committee

September 30, 2025 minutes for the WKU NAGPRA and Tribal Relations Committee meeting. Meeting conducted via Zoom.

From Belief To Action: An Exploratory Study Of Theological Perspectives In Influencing Credibility-Enhancing Displays, John Chambers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this two-phase qualitative research design was to explore the relationship between faith and works, as evidenced by manifest Credibility Enhancing Displays (CREDs), for electronic survey participants in the orthodox Christian community. Exploring the potential links between specific aspects of the theological narratives and the intentions that precede behavior was the central focus of the study. An expert panel was used to develop the Phase One survey. Phase Two retained the same expert panel members but presented them with the Phase One survey analysis to expand the interpretation of the results. At this stage in the research, CREDs …

Dental Microwear And Diets Of Late Miocene Primates From Rudabánya, Hungary, Peter S. Ungar, Anna K. Wilcox, David R. Begun

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

Objectives: This study focuses on a dental microwear texture analysis of European pliopithecids and dryopithecins from the Miocene primate site of Rudabánya, Hungary. The goal is to determine whether these taxa, found in part together in the same deposits, differed in their food preferences, or at least consumed, on a daily basis, in a manner that might have facilitated sympatry. Materials and Methods: Here we report on a molar surface texture analysis of all available fossil primates from Rudabánya that preserve antemortem microwear. This includes both Anapithecus hernyaki (n = 14) and Rudapithecus hungaricus (n = 5, including one from …

Darfur And Sudan Recommended Webinars

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Escalation Pathways To The April War And The Dynamics Of Sudan's Political Economy, Salih Mustafa, Osama Hassan, Nagi Alassam

The Journal of Social Encounters

This paper analyzes the escalation processes that led to the outbreak of the April 2023 war in Sudan, based on Wolfram Lacher's theoretical framework of "escalation processes". The paper focuses on tracing the escalatory trajectories that preceded the war, analyzing the complex interplay between structural, political, and economic factors, as well as the impact of the political economy on the dynamics of the conflict and its escalation to full-scale war.

The Sudanese Identity In The Mirror Of Colonial And Post-Independence History, Abdalla Galaleldeen

The Journal of Social Encounters

After independence, Sudan’s political elite adopted colonial-inspired policies that sought to divide the country into North and South (Arabs versus Africans). This policy was further reinforced by the civil wars and by the failures of the Sudanese political elite to construct a cohesive national identity. In the post-independence period, one elite group aligned itself with an Arab identity, while another embraced an African identity. Logically, therefore, both identities—Islamic-Arab and African—encompass the majority of the population. Yet, while Islamists and Africanists each claimed to represent this majority, neither addressed the contradictions inherent in their positions. As the tension between the Islamic-Arab …

The Conflict In Sudan: An Overview, Mad Gabriel

The Journal of Social Encounters

It has been more than two years since the war erupted in Sudan. Although the crisis initially started between two warring parties, it has expanded beyond the two with the involvement of multiple actors. However, the current conflict is complicated and has deep historical origins. It increased after the 2019 revolution, with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) battling for power and control. On the other hand, the situation has deteriorated dramatically, as the economy suffered from the continuation of the war, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Additionally, Health systems have crumbled, schooling has …

Sudan: A War Of Atrocities Report Of The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission For The Sudan, - Annual Report Of The United Nations High Commissioner For Human Rights And Reports Of The Office Of The High Commissioner And The Secretary-General

The Journal of Social Encounters

This report documents attacks on civilians and objects essential for their survival in Sudan. It concludes that both parties to the conflict violated international human rights and humanitarian law, with most violations amounting to war crimes. The Rapid Support Forces’ conduct may also constitute crimes against humanity, including persecution and extermination. The report calls for accountability and sets out a roadmap for justice.

Introduction: Continuing The Exploration Of The Darfur And Sudan Crisis, Mawa Mohamed, Ron Pagnucco

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

The Late Father Rev. John Anthony Kaiser: “A Case For Justice”, Mbuthi Gathenji

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Engaging The Somali Diaspora: A Case Study Of One Agency’S Community Programming Approach, Farhia Abdi

The Journal of Social Encounters

This case study investigates how a local community agency engages with the Somali diaspora to design and implement culturally responsive services, such as the Settlement and Integration Program. It also explores the potential of fostering meaningful dialogue with community members to inform the development of culturally sensitive programming. The research question guiding this study was developed by findings from previous research, which highlighted the significance of community engagement, sustained dialogue, and the necessity for agencies to design clearly defined programs. These programs should prioritize active participation from community members in both the creation and implementation of tailored initiatives.

Hezbollah's Military Setback: From Strategic Strength To Political Dilemma—A Comprehensive Analysis, Habib Albadawi

The Journal of Social Encounters

This study examines the unprecedented military transformation of Hezbollah from 2024 to 2025, analyzing how technological superiority and strategic constraints have fundamentally altered the effectiveness of irregular warfare organizations. Through extensive analysis of organizational adaptation, technological disruption, and external dependencies, this research investigates the paradox of how advanced military capabilities, when constrained by external dependencies, can become operational liabilities rather than strategic assets. The study employs multiple theoretical frameworks to understand this transformation and its implications for future irregular warfare.

Questions Worth Asking: Un-Disciplining Archaeology, Reclaiming Pasts For Better Futures, Nathan P. Acebo, Wade Campbell, Edward González-Tennant, Alicia Odewale, Emily Van Alst, William A. White, Stephen A. Mrozowski, Lindsay M. Montgomery, Craig N. Cipolla, Anna S. Agbe-Davies

Anthropology Faculty Publications

This forum engages an emerging discourse around historical reckoning, truth, and reconciliation, asking how these frameworks inform American archaeology and its future. A growing number of archaeologists are now demanding systemic disciplinary transformations that directly address how white supremacy and settler colonialism enact Indigenous dispossession and erasure as well as anti-Blackness, gender discrimination, and ableism. This forum, featuring 10 archaeologists—including a mixture of junior- and senior-level scholars—is organized into thematic dialogues that highlight their different perspectives and experiences within North American cultural heritage management. First, the dialogue interrogates American archaeology’s embeddedness in ethnocentrism and racism. It then looks at different …

The Invisibility Of Race In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: The Gracies Versus Capoeira And Judo, Benjamin Penglase

Anthropology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This research article examines why the racialization of Brazilian jiu-jitsu has so often been invisible to non-Brazilians. It argues that Brazilian jiu-jitsu emerged in a highly racially stratified context and looks in particular at challenge matches that the Gracie family engaged in with fighters who practiced capoeira or judo.  It argues that through these competitions, not only was Brazilian jiu-jitsu located within Brazil’s racial hierarchy, but it was often positioned as ‘white,’ though usually in an unspoken manner. The ‘invisibility’ of Brazilian jiu-jitsu’s racialization is connected to Brazil’s hegemonic racial system where race is both of central social importance, yet …

Luxury: The Shifting Moral Perspective In Eighteenth-Century Netherlands, Meaghan Morelock

The Ozark Historical Review

This work describes the changing views of luxury during the 18th Century. Using a case study of the Netherlands, the author examines the changing views on the role and availability of luxury items.

Power, Positionality, And Questioning Corporal Punishment: Caste Dynamics And The Ethics Of Anthropological Research In Indian Schools, Jessica Chandras

UNF Faculty Research and Scholarship

This reflection critically examines corporal punishment in Indian schools, highlighting how pedagogical violence perpetuates caste and socioeconomic class inequalities. Drawing from my fieldwork experiences, I explore how my insider/outsider positionality helped me to understand systemic oppression and frameworks of modernity within the neoliberal education system I was studying. Additionally, I interrogate the limitations of cultural relativity by emphasizing a need for anthropologists to confront ethical dilemmas entrenched within the power dynamics in our field sites.

The Effects Of Early Life Rearing Experiences And Age On Sociality In Captive Olive Baboons (Papio Anubis), Angela M. Achorn, Michele M. Mulholland, Chet C. Sherwood, Soojin V. Yi, William D. Hopkins

Anthropology Faculty Publications

Social connections within primate groups are continuously changing, and an individual's connectedness within their social network can have important consequences on morbidity and mortality. Here, we examined the effects of early life social experiences and age on social connectedness of captive female olive baboons (Papio anubis). Subjects included 54 mother-reared (MR) and 35 nursery-reared (NR) baboons (4.03 to 19.8 years of age). We conducted four 15-min focal observations and recorded all social interactions. For every possible dyad, we calculated total amount of time in proximity to one another and total amount of time spent grooming (in each direction), then used …

Indigenous Women’S Reproductive Traditions: Reclaiming Sovereignty Through 500 Years Of Colonization, Stephanie A. Sellers

Gettysburg College Faculty Books

In Indigenous Women’s Reproductive Traditions, Stephanie Sellers delves into the rich history of Indigenous women’s reproductive practices before European colonization. The book highlights traditional methods such as birth control, abortion, and child spacing, which were integral to maintaining agency over their bodies. Sellers explores how these practices were disrupted by European patriarchal structures and examines the impact of forced sterilization in the 20th century. Today, Indigenous women are reclaiming their rights through movements for reproductive justice, advocating for a return to their ancestral practices and redefining concepts of womanhood and motherhood on their own tribal terms.

“Migration Craziness!” Financial Turbulence And Transnational Families In Sri Lanka, Michele R. Gamburd

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Why might three relatively well-off, middle-class, young adults from Sri Lanka chose to leave their parents and their village to emigrate to Australia and Italy? Why would these men and women give up promising careers and comfortable homes to start over elsewhere and endure the hardship of an immigrant’s deskilled and displaced life? To understand their decisions, I rely on anthropology’s holistic perspective to help me stitch together intimate details about family choices within a context of global economic structures and national politics. I have done ethnographic research in the village that I call “Naeaegama” since 1992. I have studied …

Comparing Dental Microwear In The Populations At An Iron Age (C. 4010 Bp) And Early Historic (C. 2600 Bp) Site In South India, Ruokuonuo Rose Yhome, Kalavathy Rajan, R. Sivanantham, M. Ramesh, R. Ajaykumar, R. Kaviya, M. Suresh, T. Arun Raj, V.P. Yathees Kumar, Peter Ungar

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) has proven to be a valuable tool for separating bioarchaeological samples by subsistence practice, preferred diet, food-processing technology, and cooking method. In this study, we compared samples of individuals from two South Indian sites-an Iron Age site (Adichchanallur, similar to 4010 BP, n = 27) and an Early Historical site (Keeladi, similar to 2600 BP, n = 31). Both samples represent farming communities that likely had broadly similar diets dominated by cultivated rice and mung beans, wild nuts and pulses, and both domesticated cattle and wild game. Moreover, the archaeological evidence indicates that both communities …

Combining Life Grid With Biographical Narrative Approach In Reconstructing Living Situation Of Metro Manila’S Street Dwellers, Melissa Q. Navarra, Irene Reyno, Wander Van Der Vaat

Institute of Philippine Culture (IPC)

Engaging homeless populations in biographical research is often hindered by the deep-seated distrust and trauma that characterize their lived experiences. This study introduces a methodological approach that transforms this hurdle, turning the research interview into an empowering and collaborative encounter. Using a combination of the Life History Calendar (LHC) and biographical narratives, we explored the complex life transitions of 15 individuals living on the streets and in a cemetery of Metro Manila, Philippines. The LHC served as a co-constructed visual scaffold, enabling participants with low educational attainment and histories of trauma to recall and structure their life stories with remarkable …

Situation Perceptions Of Educators And Marshallese Families During Pandemic Remote Learning, Vicki S. Collet, Elsie Berman

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study considers perceptions of Marshallese families and educators in the United States during spring 2020 COVID school closures. The expectation that schoolwork be conducted at home from March to May 2020 blurred public and private places. Findings suggest educators expected family routines to change to accommodate school-at-home, and this created challenges for Marshallese students and families, potentially deepening educational inequities. The study offers implications for fortifying efforts for equitable schooling in a postpandemic world.

Prerogative In Common: On The Emancipatory Potential Of Radical Mutuality Amid Sovereign Decisionism, Matthew Builes

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In times of crisis, liberal democracies resort to authoritarian measures that undermine core democratic values. Dominant thought in the study of emergency-era law and politics appeal to a dichotomy of normal and exceptional times, to critique or justify the turn to sovereign decisionism. While this strategy seems clear-cut, the persistence of exceptional spaces and the crises that supposedly generate them challenge existing frameworks by blurring the line between norm and exception. This project explores the prospect of radical mutual aid, as a transformative response to the enduring crisis of modernity.

The Question Of Money: State, Protest, And Informal Currencies In The Wake Of Greece’S Economic Crisis, Helen Panagiotopoulos

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Monetary unions are designed to foster political, social, and economic integration among member states by enabling the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital. Yet when a member nation faces economic crisis, citizens may respond by creating monetary systems of their own. This research asks whether such practices are simply demonstrations of human resiliency and adaptability, or whether they also challenge the very idea of a shared market and currency that do not align with national identity. Greece offers a crucial case for this inquiry. Following the 2008 debt crisis, austerity measures led to economic depression, mass unemployment, and …

Dari Editor Vol. 15 No. 2 (Agustus) 2025, Rahayu Surtiati Hidayat

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Dengan gembira kami menerbitkan sepuluh artikel dan dua timbangan buku dalam edisi ini; terbitan rekor untuk jurnal ini. Kami berharap dapat menerbitkan banyak artikel dalam setiap edisi. Isi tulisan yang kami terbitkan juga meningkat mutunya baik dari segi penelitian maupun penyajian. Tiga artikel menarik perhatian dengan menunjukkan berbagai karya yang menjadi lambang kejayaan suatu negara dan keguyuban suatu komunitas (Titik Pudjiastuti, Muhamad Alnoza, Nur Aini Setiawati). Tiga artikel lain membahas kehadiran pendatang yang mengubah sistem dalam negara (Dien Rovita Rovita, Mela Maulina Putri, Rudi Ekasiswanto). Tidak kalah menarik empat artikel bertemakan karya sastra (Asri Pratiwi Wulandari, Raka Darmawan, Haikal Haikal) …

Serat Yusuf: Sastra Islam Populer Di Jawa Timur, Titik Pudjiastuti, Mamlahatun Buduroh, Mu’Jizah Mu’Jizah, Rias Suharjo, Turita Indah Setyani, Dwi Rahmawanto

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Serat Yusup is one of the popular Islamic literary works in Java, especially in East Java. This literary work is a handwritten ancient manuscript written in the form of tembang macapat, in Javanese language, and using Pegon or Javanese script. Serat Yusup which create by the students (santri) is inspired by Surah Yusuf, the 12th Surah of the Quran. As a literary work, its story differs significantly from its inspirational text, and there are so many of it. In relation to this, the question arises: what are the reasons behind the creation of Serat Yusup and why is it …

Keidiomatisan Kompositum Berleksikon Hati Dalam Bahasa Indonesia, Dien Rovita, Sonya Puspasari Suganda, Untung Yuwono

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

A compound (kompositum) is a construction formed through word formation by combining two or more elements to create a new meaning. In Indonesian, compounds can be formed by combining several elements, one of which may be a nominal lexeme referring to a body part. Compound words can be distinguished from other word combinations—particularly syntactic phrases—based on grammatical and semantic criteria. Semantically, compounds can be analyzed according to the degree of idiomaticity in their meanings. Based on this premise, the present study aims to explain the idiomaticity of compounds in Indonesian that are formed by combining multiple elements, one of which …