Friday, February 24, 2012
Friday Fling - The Best Articles I've Read This Week
Just one link this week, but it's a long one! Check out this New York Times article on How Companies Learn Your Secrets. Creepy yet interesting.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Wanderlust
I have to say that I have no desire to see the movie Wanderlust starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd, however I was very taken by this article at cultureby.com.
The old career path was simple.
Fix on the objective. Commit body and soul. Keep your eyes on the prize. Stay at it.
No experimenting with other options. No idle curiosity. No putzing around. In sum, no career wanderlust.
Make a choice. Stick with it.
The old career path was simple.
Fix on the objective. Commit body and soul. Keep your eyes on the prize. Stay at it.
No experimenting with other options. No idle curiosity. No putzing around. In sum, no career wanderlust.
Make a choice. Stick with it.
It is no surprise that this article stuck with me. I'm in the midst of a (rather difficult) career transition, from legal executive to (hopefully) policy advisor working with ethnic minorities. Yes, I had a good career, yes, I could have stuck with it. But was it fulfilling? Did it make me happy? Did I want to do it for the rest of my life? No way. It took me a long time to figure out what I really wanted. And it will take me a long time to get exactly where I want to be. In the meantime I am checking out my options, learning as much as I can, and moving forward.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Friday Fling - The best Articles I've Read This Week
It's been a couple of weeks since I posted one of these - for some reason I haven't found much of interest on the tubes recently. Could I be looking in the wrong places?
Anyway, on to a few articles I've enjoyed this week:
Anyway, on to a few articles I've enjoyed this week:
- Anthropological theories on human nature over at Living Anthropologically
- And an interesting look at domestic violence from pop-culture site Mamapop
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Equality And Diversity Training
I have just completed a course for Equality and Diversity training run by NICEM. The course explored the dynamics of racism and equality on an individual and organisational level, and looked at anti-racism legislation, ways of challenging discrimination in the workplace, and even looked at formulating action plans, both personal and for our chosen organisation.
It was only a 2 day course, but managed to cover a fairly extensive range of topics in that time. The aim was for practical the application within the workplace, and how to encourage a diverse and equal working environment.
It was only a 2 day course, but managed to cover a fairly extensive range of topics in that time. The aim was for practical the application within the workplace, and how to encourage a diverse and equal working environment.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Exploring Engagement Seminar
I just attended one of Belfast City Council's free lunchtime Exploring Engagement seminars, organised by the Good Relations Unit. Held in the City Hall on the first Thursday of each month, this was the first of the seminars that I have attended.
The speaker was Madeleine Leonard, Professor of Sociology at Queen's University in Belfast who has been working on a recent project on teenagers' perceptions of Belfast, the peace walls, and the city as a divided or shared city. The talk was extremely informative, and I was interested to hear of the way in which teenagers viewed Belfast, and particularly their views on whether or not the peace walls should remain. For more information, I thoroughly suggest reading Bringing Down the Walls: Young People's Perspective of Peace Walls in Belfast, Leonard, M and McKnight, M (2011), International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 31, 9/10, 569-583.
The speaker was Madeleine Leonard, Professor of Sociology at Queen's University in Belfast who has been working on a recent project on teenagers' perceptions of Belfast, the peace walls, and the city as a divided or shared city. The talk was extremely informative, and I was interested to hear of the way in which teenagers viewed Belfast, and particularly their views on whether or not the peace walls should remain. For more information, I thoroughly suggest reading Bringing Down the Walls: Young People's Perspective of Peace Walls in Belfast, Leonard, M and McKnight, M (2011), International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 31, 9/10, 569-583.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Weird or Just Different - TED Talk
I came across this excellent short video on TED today. Take a look.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Blog recommendation - Living Anthropologically
I have just discovered the (excellent) blog Living Anthropologically by Jason Antrosio, Associate Professor at Hartwick College. From interesting critiques of Jared Diamond to political and economic anthropology, this blog covers many areas of anthropology in an interesting and accessible way.
The articles are thought-provoking, well researched and backed up with interesting quotes from great-sounding sources (my Amazon Wish List is getting longer with each post I read). Definitely worth a look if you're after something reasonably academic but still readable.
Plus it contains this truly glorious quote from Michel-Rolph Troulliot: At the end of the day, in this age where futures are murky and utopias mere reminders of a lost innocence, we need to fall back on the moral optimism that has been anthropology’s greatest—yet underscored—appeal. But we need to separate that optimism from the naïveté that has been liberalism’s most convenient shield. We need to assume it as a choice—whether we call it moral, philosophical, or aesthetic in the best sense. We need to hang on to it not because we are historically, socially, or politically naïve—indeed, as social scientists we cannot afford such naïveté—but because this is the side of humanity that we choose to prefer, and because this choice is what moved us to anthropology in the first place. We need to assume this optimism because the alternatives are lousy, and because anthropology as a discipline is the best venue through which the West can show an undying faith in the richness and variability of humankind.
-- Michel-Rolph Trouillot, Global Transformations
(2003:139)
I recommend starting with the 10 most viewed posts of 2011 and working your way through the archives from there.
Disclaimer: Living Anthropologically does not know I exist. I just enjoy the blog.
The articles are thought-provoking, well researched and backed up with interesting quotes from great-sounding sources (my Amazon Wish List is getting longer with each post I read). Definitely worth a look if you're after something reasonably academic but still readable.
Plus it contains this truly glorious quote from Michel-Rolph Troulliot: At the end of the day, in this age where futures are murky and utopias mere reminders of a lost innocence, we need to fall back on the moral optimism that has been anthropology’s greatest—yet underscored—appeal. But we need to separate that optimism from the naïveté that has been liberalism’s most convenient shield. We need to assume it as a choice—whether we call it moral, philosophical, or aesthetic in the best sense. We need to hang on to it not because we are historically, socially, or politically naïve—indeed, as social scientists we cannot afford such naïveté—but because this is the side of humanity that we choose to prefer, and because this choice is what moved us to anthropology in the first place. We need to assume this optimism because the alternatives are lousy, and because anthropology as a discipline is the best venue through which the West can show an undying faith in the richness and variability of humankind.
-- Michel-Rolph Trouillot, Global Transformations
(2003:139)I recommend starting with the 10 most viewed posts of 2011 and working your way through the archives from there.
Disclaimer: Living Anthropologically does not know I exist. I just enjoy the blog.
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