Open Anthropology - A FREE #Anthropology Journal! #MakingAnthropologyPublic

This is cause for celebration. Or at least a few cheers. In an effort to make anthropology more public and to make anthropologists more visible, the American Anthropological Association (AAA) has created Open Anthropology: A PUBLIC JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, an online journal and volume 1, Number 1 -- the inaugural issue is now online, and it's FREE!!

This current issue is titled 'Marriage and other Arrangements'. Here are some of the titles from this volume, which are also linked:

• Re-evaluating Primate Monogamy
• The Impoverishment of Women: A Glimpse of the Global Picture 
• Marriage Rights and LGBTQ Youth: The Present and Future Impact of Sexuality Policy Changes

There are other articles in the journal also, of course, and you can check those out. The AAA, on it's blog, provides the following info about the journal:

"Content in Open Anthropology will be culled from the full archive of AAA publications, curated into issues, and will be freely available on the internet for a minimum of six months, permitting any users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search or link to the full text of these articles. Each issue will be dedicated to topics of interest to the general public, and that may have direct or indirect public policy implications." 

Below is part of the introduction to the journal form the AAA's president, Leith Mullings:

"Anthropology is the science of humankind, past and present, across societies and cultures. The anthropological perspective is distinct from most social sciences in that it does not accept specific cultural forms and societal arrangements as given or 'natural', but seeks to understand the conditions in which they came to be. As we apply anthropological knowledge — gained from the study of humans and primates through history and across societies — to pressing social issues such as family, war, health, migration, inequality, we ask how these emerge, and are reproduced or transformed. The answers to these questions may provide unique insights into addressing pressing social issues." 

This is why I think everyone needs at least a little bit of anthropology.  And judging from this new initiative, so do they.

If you would like to understand more about the discipline, I recommend you head over. I hope you visit this journal on a regular basis -- or at least often. Here's the link. Make sure you spread the world!

Pearl Primus is in bloom again! (I hope)

Having this plant really means a lot to me. I got this from friends of the late, great and renowned anthropologist, Dr. Pearl Primus. In 1990, Dr. Primus gifted this type-of-a-sanseviera plant, native to West Africa (which I'm sure she picked up on one of her many trips there), to her friends -- who would later author a book on her life, The Dance Claimed Me: A Biography of Pearl Primus, to tell how she challenged social inequity and racial injustice through education and dance anthropology.

 

After I read the text that worked up the most insatiable appetite possible to know more about Dr. Primus, and had already rendered her a major 'Shero', I became acquainted with one of the co-authors of The Dance Claimed Me, who I eventually got this plant from. It is offspring from that original gift, -- an 'indestructible' plant and because of that characteristic is said to be good luck. It has been growing, reproducing and being shared for the past 23+ years. Except for that it wasn't growing -- for me, at least. 

When I first received her (yes, my plant has a gender) almost one year ago, I placed her in the kitchen and watered her every two-three days. But that didn't work. Last Summer, I talked to someone, who suggested I "clean her up" by removing the dead leaves that had begun accumulating because she just wasn't thriving, and my sister suggested putting her in new soil. She bought me the cute planter that you see in the picture, along with a bag of nutrient-rich soil, and after I repotted her, initially I thought she was an outdoor plant, so I sat her outside, which ended up being a bad idea! Something took a huge bite out of her and she has even fallen over twice, breaking her leaves -- and still wasn't growing. My feeling have been continuously hurt over what's happened to my plant, along with her 'failure to thrive'. When I brought her inside and made her new home in the window sill is only when I began to see a bit of growth last year -- but then the cold season came and that was the end of that. Now, it's finally Springtime again, and we have as much sun as one can hope for around here, so I'm hoping she will begin to do some blooming over the next number of months. I check on her daily, and make sure she stays hydrated and well-fed, so I'm looking for something amazing, so keep an eye out. And if you have any suggestions at all for how my brown thumbs (literally and figuratively) can get her to thrive, then please let on.

Dr. Pearl Primus

"Dance is my medicine. It is the scream which eases for a while the terrible frustration common to all human beings who, because of race, creed, or color, are "invisible." Dance is the fist with which I fight the sickening ignorance of prejudice. It is the veiled attempt I feel for those who patronize with false smiles, handouts, empty promises, insecure compliments. Instead of growing twisted like a gnarled tree inside myself, I am able to dance out my anger and tears." - Pearl Primus, 1968

Mock Anthropology, Mock(ing) Culture and PDN (Public Display of Nipples) Apparently Aren't OK on the Menfolk Either (Video)

The mega online education platform, Coursea that offers free education classes, played a joke on those of us who 'Like' their facebook page. On April 1st, they sent a course description informing us of a new five-week-long course in Underwater Basketweaving, taught by a "Maritime Anthropologist" and was starting that day. My fingers could not press 'I'm in!' fast enough (it literally takes one click to enroll), but almost as quickly -- minutes after this course was introduced, we received an email that explained that the professor "Due to an unplanned research trip to a recently unearthed Aquacamamatian burial site, has decided to postpone his class." For me, (and probably many others) it was only after the dialogue on facebook, and recognizing that this was a prank, is when I did more investigation, including returning to the page, re-reading the description and then watching the accompanying video, which I had not done initially.

I have purposely embedded this video twice -- because I don't want you to have to scroll up. The first time, I am suggesting to pay attention to what "Professor. Dunne" has to say about his work among the 'peoples of the Aquacamamata Peninsula,' before focusing on other areas.

To be honest with you at first I was amused; it is very obvious this professor doesn't have a clue what he's doing. Pulling the large basket from the water -- one that I have seen used for fruit, was pretty funny. But that's in the very beginning. As the video progressed, it is clear to me why this video became a hot topic in a course that quite a number of us students just ended on Aboriginal Worldviews and Education, and why the faculty members of the course sent out an email discussing the significance of this 'April Fool's joke.'

With anything, there is always quite varied opinions and interpretations. I have my own thoughts about it and I'll briefly weigh in later. But for now, take a closer look at the images below. I took screenshots just in case Coursera decides to delete the video.

   

While I was watching the short video, what also caught my eye was that "Professor Dunne's" shirt was wet after giving his first 'demonstration' but that's what made me notice something else. His nipples are pixelated!

I had to rewind this because I was kind of shocked. I haven't seen this type of _____ modesty(?) towards male bodies and their chest areas before (none that I can recall, anyway), and so I had to share it. I wondered if this was part of the joke or was it intentional, just to keep them from protruding through his shirt? Below is the same video. But this time get your glasses out if you need to, and pay attention to his chest area between 1:25 - 1:33.

Did you catch that?

To be clear, if there were indeed an actual class on underwater basketweaving, taught by an anthropologist, or anyone else, I would be the first to sign up. I have only heard of this subject as a mock area of study in colleges before -- one that was suggested to people as something laughable in the face of "real" subjects. I also believe this course and video were not intended as anything other than a joke by the part of Coursera staff. Finally, and most importantly from my perspective, I also believe some may say one would need a great understanding of the history of basket weaving, in order to understand this offense. I'll admit I don't know much about the sacred tradition of underwater basket weaving, but I do have a good grasp of colonialism, white supremacy and the history of anthropology, and think that's sufficient enough to criticize this course material.

Instead of being able to shake this off as a harmless joke, I am personally offended and quite infuriated. This mock anthropology professor portrays the 'normalized' representation of a white man who has traveled abroad to study the 'Other'. Not only does anthropology have a history of participating in colonialism and using the 'findings' from a Westernized gaze to put communities on display, but I've also explained briefly before about racial and gendered exclusivity, which I'm sure is not too difficult to imagine how this would work against basket-makers, who I can only imagine consist of a largely female population. Also, here in the United States, people of color were drawn to the discipline because they believed that by proving that there was no biological basis for race, it could help erase the racial injustice in this society that was responsible for countless atrocities largely against Black and Brown communities. Stemming from the work of these pioneers of anthropology, there have been many who have made efforts to decolonize and transform this discipline, and work hard against this legacy, making it one where anthropology is used to make a positive difference -- and not to one to make people different (the 'Other'). There are some New Faces of Anthropology and anthropologists, myself included, committed to using the tools of this discipline for the good -- to learn from each other in order to bridge social, and cultural gaps in our understanding and positively impact, for a more just and equitable world. 

Is there a difference with this video and the portrayal of Blackface, where whites would apply black paint/shoe polish/whatever else, on their faces to mimic and impersonate Black culture? In this country, Blackface is something that grew during the depths of overt racial injustice, and it continues to have a tremendous impact today. Is his use of a mock-language while describing the procedures and steps for basket-making among these "Aquacamamatians" any different than the ways English imperialism has castigated non-speakers -- and has opened the floodgates for creating, or at least using mock languages (and we can't overlook the fake accent)? Why didn't he use his native language? How is this different from prevalent stereotypes that portray Natives and Aboriginal people as teepee dwellers who sit around and smoke peace pipes and braid their hair? Is this different than Redface? Is this different from any other racist and largely inaccurate representation of a people or community, even though this is a made-up group?

Although there's plenty more to be said about this phony course, professor and video, including the fact that these issues "can lead to discrimination and the support of racist laws and policies," I'm not going to go too much more into this. I want to see feedback from you, readers, on what you think. What are your thoughts on 'Professor Dunne', his Underwater Basket Weaving course, use of a mock-language (especially the Hispanic accent) and his portrayal of anthropology? What about his nipples (or lack of)? Of course I'm interested in this coming from a site dedicated to breastfeeding and its interlocking politics. Is it at least interesting to you that in a society like one here in the US, so obsessed with controlling women's bodies, that his are deemed inappropriate, if that's indeed why they are pixelated? Can we just call this humor? Or, if you feel there is no concern with any of this, I want to hear that, too. Share your thoughts. I'm looking forward to the dialogue.

In solidarity. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Acquanda + Women's History Month + Wombanist Views Radio

If you missed the Wombanist Views Radio Show today, I've embedded it below. How awesome it was to be invited to be a guest during Women's History Month, to discuss the "efforts in breastfeeding advocacy and the cultural implications and why it is an important health concern." Whenever I'm involved in any type of public speaking on breastfeeding, I always hope to at least convey a few critical issues about community engagement and participation. Hopefully this was able to raise some awareness around these important issues. Of course there's also a zillion and one other things I would have liked to discuss, but of course one can only get so much in in 30 minutes.

You'll have to forgive my bit of nervousness -- which, is the reason I kept saying 'absolutely' and also flubbed a couple other times :OI. Also, I'm still getting over a cold, so excuse the grogginess. But other than that, let's talk about it.

  Listen to internet radio with

     Wombanist Views on Blog Talk Radio

                                                                              

Update: I went back and listened to this, and like before would like to add a few extra words, and make sure I clear a few things up:

1. Breastfeeding is not the answer to all of our problems, and hope I did not come off with this belief. Like I've said before: Breastfeeding is not a 'fix-all' button! I believe breastfeeding can and does help avert illness, infant mortality as well as offer many other benefits even on a local and global level, but I am unsure if I came across as suggesting if we just breastfeed then all health and social ills associated with a lack of tradition will simply disappear. I have not, do not, nor will I ever subscribe to this.
2. Every woman in my family has breastfed. But like the rap artist who rhymed about "B-Fing -- The most beautifullest, natruallest and heallthiest thing..  I ain't gonna front like they ain't seen a bottle." I grew up around breastfeeders -- some exclusive, but I ain't gonna front like our babies have never seen a bottle or have never used infant formula. And I'm sorry if I came off with the impression otherwise. 

Oh, and just a small sidenote: I think the Whitney Houston music is awesome! That song is often in the cue and listened to when I'm out taking my walks, because it's upbeat and make me feel good. And it's such a perfect tune for the theme this month!

Word(less words) Wednesday: Pictures Prospective Students Take #2! "and my breasts feed these kings"

I have to be honest with you that I don't remember exactly what this is called. All 
I know is that when I went to visit the Anthropology Department last week, outside 
of my advisor's door is this multi-layered collage of Africa/n Culture. 

I remember the professor said something about seeing Africa and African people for 
who they are and what it is, and not simply the exoticized place that is often in many 
of our imaginations. It also has something to do with working with HIV/AIDS.

But among this insanely awesome and extremely educational and representational
creation, with three or four layers of imagery

It never fails, that my eyes seem to somehow zero in on some area of my
work, regardless of what else happens to be around. 

And I just had to share that. I really am drawn to this work. Literally.

Word(less words) Wednesday: Pictures Prospective Students Take #1! #WhyIDigAnthropology #YESHomo

I snapped the picture below, from it's original place -- on a door in the Anthropology Department, while I was visiting school last week, since I think there are so many awesome things about it. I think it paints a pretty good portrayal of Homo neanderthalensis, which, although there is a large debate, is said to be a close cousin to Homo sapiens (that's us!).

Many scientists suggest H. neanderthalensis existed alongside H. sapiens -- modern Homo sapiens began to evolve about 200,000 years ago, and H. neanderthalensis in the late pleistocene 125,000 -30,000 years ago. Even though some may or may not agree with the evolutionary theory (I sometimes am not sure just exactly how much I subscribe to myself), I think this image is a perfect opportunity to provide insight on the way I often look at things.

Usually, when I think about the way we live today -- foodways, gender, instinct, breastfeeding and other areas, I often times find myself comparing and maybe even fantasizing about life somewhere around this time. I think I mentally allow myself to go here because although it probably wasn't, it seems like an ideal era. This period was long before we became infused with culture that sent us on a rapid plunge. It was before Sony Electronics began telling us we need their latest flatscreen, or everyone rushed out to buy the newest iPhone, and even before I sat here and typed this post on my macbook. Our foods weren't genetically modified, and we didn't subsist off of a diet of modern agriculture which is, as author Lierre Keith put it, soaked in fossil fuels and disease-laden. We actually followed our instincts back then, and many social issues that influenced our choices on discrimination, racism, class and others, didn't exist. Breasts weren't a source of learned sexual behavior and something for the 'man,' and homes meant living in a cave or a rock shelter; there was no need to purchase an extra piece of vacation property or anything else, I imagine, to make ourselves feel as if we're fitting in. We were exceptionally healthy, and had what I imagine was an ideal reciprocal relationship with the land, plants, animals, and the environment -- not built off of either one exploiting the other.

*Sigh*

I could go on and on about this one here, but I'll stop here since this was technically supposed to be a 'Wordless' post with the image only, but, because I have to ramble a least some, morphed into 'less words' than I would usually write. And now it reading like a passionate novel. So I'll just stop and leave space open for discussion. My only question is.... what the heck happened?

References:

O'neill, Denny. Evolution of Modern Humans: Early Modern Homo Sapiens. http://anthro.palomar.edu/homo2/mod_homo_4.htm. Date accessed: March 27, 2013

University of Washington. Anthropology Department. Homo neanderthalensis. Image taken March 21, 2013.

DR. STANFORD IS (not so far from being) IN THE HOUSE! Final Education Score: Master’s, 2, PhD, 1 #JustCallMeProfessorHIJKLMNOP

“Last July, I walked on stage in front of a large audience. I was an invited speaker, asked to share my perspective at a summit at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, organized by ROSE (Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere), a grassroots coalition founded to raise awareness of breastfeeding among Black and African American women. My objective that day was to give a 30-minute presentation on ways to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among this group, who statistically continue to rank lowest of any demographic in our nation, and whose increase could effectively help thwart the staggering infant mortality rate that plagues this community. As I stood behind the podium and looked onto the crowd, which consisted of lay and professional healthcare advocates, community activists and many other officials from local and nationwide, including the 16th U.S. Surgeon General, I told them that in order to eradicate the lengthy list of health disparities linked to these low breastfeeding rates we must cease focusing on Black women who breastfeed. Instead, look past these protagonists, and recognize the unique and complex history of Black women in this country and enlist the help of anyone interested in challenging socio-political inequity, structural violence and cultural insularity, all which are situated at the center, and all hinder an infant’s access to its mother’s breast. This was a significant shift in the way breastfeeding advocacy and promotion has been viewed as a tradition.”

Remember a little while back when I said I was busier than life and I’d let on to what was going on around here soon enough? Well, I was engaged in what felt like an unyielding application of school and fellowship applications, (the first paragraph of my Statement of Purpose is above, because I just thought I’d share. I used my experience speaking at ROSE Breastfeeding Summit, to set the tone. And I’m sure the fact that the Surgeon General was in the audience didn’t hurt with the decision). But without further ado…..

I GOT IN!

Just the other day I received notification that I was accepted into the renowned Sociocultural Anthropology PhD program, after I opened my email and viewed the fancy schmancy letter – well, here, let me read it to you:

Ahem – *Clears throat*

Dear Acquanda Y. Stanford (that’s me ;)

Dear Acquanda Y. Stanford:

We are pleased to inform you that the Sociocultural Anthropology Graduate Program in the Department of Anthropology has admitted you…. Our faculty, staff and students join me in welcoming you to one of the most prestigious, progressive universities in the United States…. This is a very competitive program and many applicants with impressive backgrounds apply…. Please contact me if you have any further questions…. We look forward to hearing from you.

The Anthropology Department is well-known for its rigorous curriculum, which I am SO thankful for. I love challenging environments, and being worked in school. And not to boast or anything, seriously, but it is an extremely difficult program to get into. But I still think it’s crazy insane I am about to enter a PhD program, since I initially never ever planned on it. When I was in community college I remember my instructor one day said to me (though I don’t really remember the exact subject at hand) “You’ll see when you teach anthropology….” This is the same one who gave me the extra push to actually apply to this program, and the one who previously introduced me to the idea of a concurrent PhD and Master’s of Public Health degree, which I will also be pursing, along with a certificate in Feminist Studies.

I want to teach – to transform – and create a reciprocal learning environment that opens up the doors for radical social change. That’s my goal. And pursuing a doctoral degree will qualify me to do so at the university level, which is my ultimate endeavor. But I also want to continue to engage people in the public sphere. This is also the reason I feel my education is a double-edged sword. In some ways I believe it may hinder my access to the communities I most want to serve. Yet my reasons for even attending school is that I recognized that in order to ‘use the master’s tools to dismantle the master’s house’ I would need to equip myself with what it takes to combat these issues – in various ranks. That’s why I’m here.

What will my research focus on? Bet you’d never guess in a million years, right?! As far as I know I am the only Black woman in this country with an anthropology background who focuses on this area and the Black experience. Using the tools of anthropology, I want to construct the larger framework around Black breastfeeding. Breastfeeding extends far beyond a baby on a breast, and it requires critical attention to areas of gender, race, class, geographic location, history and much, much more. I want to delve deep into the issues of power and dominance, culture and biology, female and community agency, language and our knowledge of the past and present and view this area through various lenses that encompass critical social theories. I believe that “this biological site can serve as a gateway to underpin a new set of theoretical questions that can complicate our thinking and allow for the expansion of knowledge on ideas of community engagement, globalization, global health and disparities, maternal-infant health and various others with research that will evolve and syncretize local, national, and global processes, expanding perspectives not previously explored.” Sorry, that’s just another small clip from my Statement of Purpose. *smile*

I also am ready to continue transforming this discipline. I absolutely believe that an anthropological approach is key to addressing many issues that face our society, and its tools can be used to create radical and revolutionary change and positively transform. But I also know that it has a long and sordid history of participating in colonialism and exclusion and racial and gender exclusivity, but there have been many who have worked effortlessly to challenge this legacy. I'm thrilled to carry the torch.

When all is said and done, where I always urge people to disregard the hierarchy and ensure everyone has a say, and used a string of letters of the alphabet to mock our reliance on formal education, which I believe can too often keep people from truly engaging each other, I really will be Professor HIJKLMNOP. I will have a zillion and one initials behind my name that if you ask me, is actually kinda creepy. But still not so bad for a H.S. dropout, eh?! Thankfully this area is one that allows for academic activism, and using education to lift and liberate because I really do love what I do. And I’m so, so thrilled about what lies ahead.

This image provides an excellent depiction of the type of educator I aspire to be!
#powertothepeople

Keep Calm And Read :: Birth and Reproduction Texts by Black Women Anthropologists (Video)

I recently updated my bookshelf with texts I'm currently reading, plan on reading, what I recommend, and I even put a few that are on my wishlist from amazon.com on the page. I just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks -- about a woman I think every living soul should learn about because we have all been impacted by her and her immortal cells that were taken without her knowledge and transformed the medical field -- and has saved many of our lives. Also, because I'm working towards Doula Certification, I just started The Doula Guide to Birth,  in order to give a report/review, which I'll post here once I'm finished and I'm also flipping through The Radical Doula Guide.

I try and find as many texts as I can that are written by Black women anthropologists, to add to my library, and to highlight their work. I believe the tools of this discipline provide ways of viewing culture and society and are phenomenal in exploring new ideas and possibilities. For example, because anthropology means 'the study of humankind in all places and all times,' and is concerned with all aspects of humanity now and in the past, it offers a holistic perspective and goes below the surface of what many are used to seeing. Also, because one the primary tools of cultural anth is ethnography (writing culture), it usually means living among or deeply interacting with a group for a specified amount of time, participating in their ways of living (participant observation) and learning the intricate details. Much more in-depth than a regular study. It adds another dimension.

The awesome thing that's been happening for me, is that not only do I notice more and more texts by Black women anthropologists, but I'm finding more and more who have produced work on breastfeeding and birth -- well, at least birth, but breastfeeding comes up at some point in the conversation, of course. I know I'm newer to exploring the reproductive realm than many, but from the looks of things it doesn't appear to be a lengthy history of us writing on the topic. And I have yet to find a text dedicated exclusively to breastfeeding -- except for the one I'm working on. I've mentioned before that the last time I heard there are only about 600 practicing Black anthropologists in this country. And a Black woman anthropologist is rare. So I'm so happy to come upon whatever I can. 

The first two are ones I'll be reviewing on this blog in the near future and the last two are on my wishlist. They're not focused on mechanics, but look at underlying areas of culture, reproduction, health and politics, and are, well. . . . ethnographic. The first is written by a local right in this town, who I had no idea even existed until more recently when someone named her a 'Shero'. I think it's the craziest thing that I can search high and low for Black women in this discipline, and someone else points to one who's practically my neighbor. How does that happen?

Family Secrets: Risking Reproduction in Central Mozambique, is the ethnography of Rachel Chapman, PhD, from her research site, and one I'm so excited about. Dr. Chapman is a Sociocultural Anthropologist and professor at the University of Washington, who focuses on medical anthropology, racial and ethnic disparities in reproduction along with others -- and who also teaches Global Health. I spoke with her recently, and talked about breastfeeding, anti-racism, anthropology, and about some thoughts I have about my work in this field, and had a fascinating time discussing these topics with her. And from someone whose work is closely aligned with mine, and who understands what it's like being only one of a handful in this discipline, she was very encouraging, and of course I savored the many things she said.

I took a peek inside of Family Secrets, and read a small, fascinating section: "When My daughter, Solea, was born seven months earlier in a clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe, the two Shona midwives assisting my birth had gently tried to dissuade me from putting her immediately to my breast to nurse. They advised me to have a shower first because I was "dirty" from the birth. By 'dirty' they meant unclean not so much from the bodily fluids of my exertion as from the liminal, potentially dangerous journey to motherhood I had just come through. I was "hot" from this sacred and highly charged rite of childbirth and might pass that heat through my milk to my infant, making her sick."

Here's the excerpt from Amazon:

Behind a thatched hut, a birthing woman bleeds to death only minutes from "life-saving" maternity care. Chapman begins with the deceptively simple question, "Why don't women in Mozambique use existing prenatal and maternity services?" then widens her analysis to include a whole universe of cultural, political, and economic forces. Fusing cultural anthropology with political economy, Chapman vividly demonstrates how neoliberalism and the increasing importance of the market have led to changing sexual and reproductive strategies for women. 

Pregnant herself during her research, Chapman interviewed 83 women during pregnancy and postpartum. She discovered that the social relations surrounding traditional Shona practices, Christian faith healing, and Western biomedical treatments are as important to women's choices as the efficacy of the therapies.

I'm filled with anticipation.

Next, is another ethnography by Spelman Alum, Khiara M. Bridges, who just so happened to also be valedictorian of the university (after she finished a four-year degree in only three, that is). She is also an anthropologist and lawyer -- Associate Professor of both, a professional classical ballet dancer, and speaks fluent Spanish and some Arabic. Yep. Wow! I just happened upon this book recently, along with a video that provided the details above about Dr. Bridges, while researching and I'm so glad I did.

Reproducing Race: An Ethnography of Pregnancy as a Site of Racialization was published in 2011, and her research site was here in the U.S. -- in New York at an 'Obstetrics clinic in a public hospital in Manhattan.' Dr. Bridges says the issues around reproduction and race are far more complex than simply focusing on skin color. Here is the blurb from Amazon:

"Reproducing Race, an ethnography of pregnancy and birth at a large New York City public hospital, explores the role of race in the medical setting. Khiara M. Bridges investigates how race--commonly seen as biological in the medical world--is socially constructed among women dependent on the public healthcare system for prenatal care and childbirth. Bridges argues that race carries powerful material consequences for these women even when it is not explicitly named, showing how they are marginalized by the practices and assumptions of the clinic staff. Deftly weaving ethnographic evidence into broader discussions of Medicaid and racial disparities in infant and maternal mortality, Bridges shines new light on the politics of healthcare for the poor, demonstrating how the "medicalization" of social problems reproduces racial stereotypes and governs the bodies of poor women of color."

Risking Reproduction and Reproducing Race are highlights of this month for me. If you're considering looking into these, reading ethnographies are usually very accessible, and an in-depth knowledge or social science background is not necessary at all. I'll be super excited if you decide to read along, so let me know if you will be doing so. I am looking forward to exploring these, and can't wait to publish their reviews.

These are on my wishlist.

African American Midwifery in the South: Dialogues of Birth, Race and Memory by Gertrude Fraser, says that "Starting at the turn of the century, most African American midwives in the South were gradually excluded from reproductive health care. Gertrude Fraser shows how physicians, public health personnel, and state legislators mounted a campaign ostensibly to improve maternal and infant health, especially in rural areas. They brought traditional midwives under the control of a supervisory body, and eventually eliminated them. In the writings and programs produced by these physicians and public health officials, Fraser finds a universe of ideas about race, gender, the relationship of medicine to society, and the status of the South in the national political and social economies."

Stress And Resilience: The Social Context of Reproduction in Central Harlem is by Columbia Professor, Leith Mullings, and is a 'ground-breaking volume [that] chronicles the unique experiences of black women that place them at higher risk for morbidity and mortality - especially during pregnancy.' I won't go too much into this work of critical medical anthropology, because Leith Mullings appears in the video below speaking at the Scholar and Feminist Conference at Barnard College about 'Race and Stratified Reproduction'. It is only a a short one, but if you follow the YouTube link you can find more on her work about Stress And Resilience, and others.
                                         
                                                                                A short video by Dr. Mullings




Far from being anywhere excited about hearing of even more inequity among Black women, I am happy that these will undoubtedly provide information that will allow for a new way to see things, and add an additional tool to use in challenging social issues that weigh heaviest on Black women and communities of color, and once I get them, I will be sure to let you know.

Breastfeeding Security vs. Breastfeeding Sovereignty plus #DoulaProgression (Video)

I can't explain how thankful I am for coming across the video below. It allows me to explain more in detail about what I mean when I say that breastfeeding is not just breastfeeding. It also is another way to view why Breast Is Best just won't work, and if we want to truly increase our level of participation and promote liberation and self-empowerment, we must get to a point where we explore other areas that are at the center of lowered rates.

Megan Carney, who appears in the video, is a professor of anthropology at the University of Washington. She focuses on the political economy/ecology of food, on critical race and other social theories. I found this video where she explained Food Security vs. Food Sovereignty, telling us that the vast difference between the two lie in accessibility, production and power. Food security, she explains, though people may have enough, have adequate access and it is made safe and affordable, this type of structure remains infused with governmental policy, political control, and is weighted in favor of authoritative figures. Food security does not take into account the differences in the way people view and acquire food -- through a culturally specific lens, but its purpose is to fill bellies. Food sovereignty on the other hand, is concerned with working towards recognizing members of various groups and the community as a site of empowerment, agency and mobilization. Food Sovereignty is organized by the people, and takes into account that the one-size fits all approach does not work. It recognizes the varied practices and social and cultural lenses are necessary and work more at producing the uniqueness and specificity of a particular group.

How is this connected to breastfeeding?

I think this parallels the lot of breastfeeding advocacy I see. Most, if not all messages around the topic are largely concerned with the practical aspects of infant feeding -- getting a baby to suck. I feel what is too often overlooked is the idea that deeply woven into the tradition are ways at examining how people practice and how attitudes are shaped around this custom. A recent article in American Anthropologists underscored that 'Breastfeeding involves much more than feeding; it entails intimate social interactions that reflect cultural ideas and practices about social relationships, childcare, and child development,' and that 'many other ethnographers have suggested that breastfeeding should be viewed not only as a health-relevant activity but also as a sociocultural activity.' I talked about something along the same lines earlier this year at the ROSE Breastfeeding Summit, and encouraged the audience that in addition to advocating the tradition to Black women in the community, to take a more critical and holistic look at what lies at the center of lowered rates -- especially cultural insularity, apathy and others, and recognize the need for more engagement from all people.

In the same context of security, and even though most disagreed with me about not looking to celebrity icons for breastfeeding support, I felt very strongly about this when the world all but praised Beyonce's public nursing. I know that to many people, it was seen as a significant achievement for Black women and especially, as some said, to 'Black lactation activists'. The social networking sites blew up with tweets and posts about this 'monumental moment in history'. Those looking for a Black diva-esque-type role model -- a non-crunchy sistah, believed this representation would fuel a breastfeeding revolution in our community. I understand it's a sensitive area for so many working to save the lives of Black women and children, which is why I have and will continue to approach this area with sensitivity. I'm happy to know Beyonce breastfed whenever and for whatever amount of time, but in my mind, not only did it I feel that leaning towards this type of representation only contributes to the hierarchy and reproduces the cycle of domination in a society concerned with constructing protagonists just to advance a system based on greed and self-interest, but the sentiments around Black women's breastfeeding just wouldn't last. What happens when the novelty wears off, or her popularity declines, just as starters? This is also seen, I believe, with many other entities that do not take into account the varied cultural languages or the lens of the people. It remains top down. The issues are, of course, much larger, and go much, much deeper, but this is an example of how we remain fixated on power structures instead of engaging our local groups to find out exactly what breastfeeding means to them. What does breastfeeding mean to different groups in language, culture, custom, religion and various other ways of trying to understand. A one-size-fit-all approach is detrimental.

Empowering people to understand the need for more community and cultural involvement, and work at the foundation of issues within and outside of breastfeeding towards a real social change, is what will move us in a direction where our efforts will transcend generations. We must make a true, concerted effort at dismantling issues of power, challenging cultural insularity, inequity many others, in order to progress and move forward. And get to know somebody! Understanding others and working together to confront systems of domination needs to be the goal of all advocates, lactation specialist and anyone interested true social equality. Everything else, in my mind, is not a marker of transformation and liberation, but is just a game of follow the leader.

Watch the video, and then share your thoughts.

References:

Fotus, Hillary, et. al. 2012. "A Biocultural Approach to Breastfeeding Interactions in Central Africa." American Anthropologist. (114):(123-136).

#DoulaProgression

Ya, so I don't really know how to cook well and all, but obtaining a food handler's permit is still a requirement so I got one. I had no idea where to go at first, until my friend told me I can get one online. I visited the Washington State Department of Health, and enrolled in the short course which largely consisted of watching animated slides on how to safely handle food in order to avert bacterial contamination, followed by taking a 32 question quiz and paying the 10 dollar fee. The card lasts for two years. I also got a new book -- In The Way of Our Grandmothers: A Cultural view of Twentieth-Century Midwifery in Florida, which I'm reading now and plan on reviewing as well as submitting as a report, and I'll it check off when complete.

New Books :: Breastfeeding + Anthropology + Black Feminist Anthropology (Video)

I got new books! Ones that feel like they have been on my wishlist for what seemed like forever and I finally got around to ordering them. What do they all have in common? They are written by anthropologists. There's not much out there in the way of breastfeeding texts from an anthropological perspective, so coming across these is awesome and rare. The Anthropology of Breastfeeding: Natural Law or Social Construct discusses the deeper issues behind breastfeeding, and since the text is still en route to my house via USPS, here's what Amazon.com says about it:

'On the whole, the debates surrounding the issues of breast-feeding - often reflecting ethnographic and ill-informed medical and demographic approaches - have failed to treat the deeper issues. The significance of breast-feeding reaches far beyond its biological function; in fact, the authors of this volume argue, there is nothing `natural' about breast-feeding itself. On the contrary, attitudes and practices are socially determined, and breast-feeding has to be seen as an essential element in the cultural construction of sexuality. This volume offers an `ethnography' of breast-feeding by examining cultural norms and practices in a number of European and non-European societies, thus presenting valuable and often astonishing empirical material that is not otherwise readily available. The highly original focus of this volume therefore throws new light on gender and on social relationships in general.'

Next, I haven't had all that much exposure to Katherine Dettwyler's work. I do know she is from here in the U.S. and Breastfeeding Biocultural Perspectives is her second text -- that is co-edited, her first single-authored is on death and dying. I visited her website 'Thoughts On Breastfeeding' on a few occasions, and saw her in the documentary Breasts recently, but that's pretty much the extent. This book is about examining the biological process of breastfeeding along with the culturally determined behavior. The cover says this viewpoint 'has important implications for understanding the past, present, and future condition of our species', which can all happen through this custom. I'm excited to see what it has to offer.

Finally, Faye V. Harrison, PhD, a cultural (political) Black Feminist Anthropologist and professor at the University of Florida who focuses on the African Diaspora, human rights, critical race feminism and others. . .  . and her work changed my life.

When I was an undergrad I came across Dr. Harrison as I was preparing to enroll in an independent study course. I found myself at a point where I began to question the ethics of anthropology, and began to have doubts about the ideas of going off to a foreign land just to study people and produce scholarship in order to finish a dissertation and get a PhD, among various other concerns. I couldn't fully articulate my thoughts at that moment but it seemed exploitative and weighed heavily on me. At this same time I was also extremely lonely and discouraged and was yearning to find more Black women in the discipline; besides the few white women that had been elected the voice of 'women' in the field -- Margaret Mead, Eleanor Leacock, Sally Slocum, the mainstream theoretical perspectives taught in class are all made up of 'Dead white men on parade'. I came across Dr. Harrison's professional website and sent her a message and graciously she provided me with information, names of other Black women in the field and told me about her book Outsider Within: Reworking Anthropology in the Global Age that at the time of our correspondence was not so long ago published. It was through this text is where I discovered that anthropology can reach far beyond the mainstream white-centric and often imperialistic ideas of ethnography, note-taking, and promoting 'Otherization,' but it could radically transform, promote social equality and voice (especially vulnerable) communities. This is what I was looking for. And it opened up an entire new world. I ended up doing a presentation in the Anthropology Department, based on the information from this independent study and the theory from Outsider Within, along with another text I used for the course, Black Feminist Anthropology, to ask why, in a discipline that claims to largely debunk social stratification, do we continue to promote racist and gendered ideology, exclusivity and marginalization and why it's important to see the viewpoints of Black women anthropologists, and hear what we had to say then and what we continue to say now. I titled it Anthropological Theory! Where Are Our Sistahs? Were it not for Dr. Harrison's work, there is little doubt that I would not be here today promoting breastfeeding from the angle that I do. And more than likely, I probably wouldn't have even continued studying anthropology. Instead, I'm almost certain I would have dropped the discipline all together for disappointment and changed my major, but I once again fell in love with it since it was now in alignment with my personal and professional beliefs.

Resisting Racism And Xenophobia is edited by Dr. Harrison, and is a 'collection of essays [that] focuses on the intersections between race, gender, sexuality, class, and nationality that exert a huge influence on human rights conflicts around the world.' Though it does not explicitly discuss breastfeeding or birth, racism and xenophobia underscore disparities, and must become central to the conversation. I'm thrilled I finally own a copy.

I found this video with Dr. Harrison that is from a recent talk she gave at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont. In it, she discusses The Cultural Politics of Race in the New Millennium. Listen carefully.

Word(less words) Wednesday: Black women + Anthropology + Breastfeeding = Just the two of us?

I've been spending some time looking for Black and African American anthropologists – for people of African descent, and women of color who are also lactation advocates -- for practicing anthropologists, or those who have taken any anthropology courses or who have learned about the discipline in any other way, and integrate this important angle into their work. I’m even interested in finding those whose work is closely related to lactation, such as doulas, midwives, or other birthworkers -- just to know we exist in this realm. I'm not hoping to find a large amount, obviously, since I know we're scarce; the Association of Black Anthropologists and other closely related organizations continue to make efforts to increase the amount of people of color who study anthropology overall -- the last I heard there were only between 600-800 Black anthropologists in this country – and a Black woman anthropologist is rare. 

Besides myself and Nisha – an IBCLC, doula and owner of Mother Rites which is here in town, I can't think of many others who have combined anthropology with lactation. In fact, between searching the internet and even asking for leads from others from an online space filled with Black women who are anthropologists, or who at least have an interest in the discipline, below is the list of others I found across the U.S.:

I'm convinced there's more.

Reblog - A Professor Walks Into A Classroom: Because I never thought I'd ever use my three most favorite terms IN THE WORLD – 'Anthropology', 'Feminism', 'Breastfeeding' in the same sentence as the word 'Fail'!

My friend sent this one to me -- the article below, but I've heard it's been all over the news and other places, too. A professor, who just so happens to be a mother, brought her sick baby to class and the baby, as babies tend to do, got fussy, so this mother and anthropology professor thought of a solution. Besides the fact no one uttered a word before the nursing, I can't think of a more ideal setting other than an anthropology course on feminism, and I've been trying to imagine the curriculum: cross-cultural comparisons on social stratification, male dominance and exploitation of women's bodies -- especially their breasts, against the biological norm and especially here in America, and various ways to counter this learned behavior. Now I'm not signed up for the course and never sat in on a class, but I'm willing to bet I'm not so far off.

An American University Professor Breast-Fed During Class. So What?

It's easy to forget the almighty power of the ordinary breast. If you have a couple yourself, most of your attention spent on them in a lifetime is focused on making sure they look right in clothes and aren't in your way, with occasional forays into sex and feeding infants. But breasts actually have a secret super power. When whipped out under the right circumstances, the ordinary mammary gland has the ability to expose a tremendous amount of cultural hypocrisy around gender and parenting.

Adrienne Pine, an assistant professor of anthropology at American University, unwittingly learned that lesson when she decided to shut up her fussy baby in the culturally prescribed way, especially for the highly educated middle class set:giving the baby her boob. Had she done so safely ensconced in her home, perhaps beatifically meditating on how this means so much more than any career ever could, she would have been held up as a moral paragon for all women. But since she did so in the middle of doing her job, in this case lecturing a class full of students taking a feminist anthropology course, she's instead become a national scandal, with the controversy detailed on the front page of today's Washington Post.

The world knows about Pine's transgressively feminine behavior in the traditionally masculine role of college professor because the student newspaper immediately pounced on the story, and Pine responded in a way that likely hurt her cause by coming across as pedantic and needlessly defensive. Still, her situation should draw sympathy from those who aren't inclined to immediately think the worst of women. She's a single mother, and her baby couldn't go to day care that day because she had a fever. Pine had to choose between missing the first day of class or bringing her sick baby along.

It seems that if it hadn't been for the breast-feeding, this entire situation would have gone unnoticed. But many students completely lost it when they saw an actual human breast. Such as Jake Carias, age 18 and interviewed by the Washington Post, who claims that he was fine with the presence of the baby, but not so much the boob: 

But when Pine started to breast-feed mid-class, Carias said, it crossed a line.

“I found it unprofessional,” he said. “I was kind of appalled.” 

Carias fired off a tweet: “midway through class breast feeding time.” He also posted a message on his Facebook page. He said he later dropped the class.

So, he spends his class time on Twitter and Facebook, but a woman who can continue a lecture while breast-feeding is an intolerable distraction? Personally, I remember college lectures as being most students' least favorite part of school, a necessary evil that one struggled not to fall asleep during. Anything to liven it up would have been welcome. So, unless college students have completely changed in the years since I graduated, the whole thing has little to do with some sort of assault on their education and more to do with underlying anxieties about sex and gender.

Pine offers garbled and unconvincing arguments for why she breast-feeds, but she really shouldn't have to offer an argument at all. Plus, regardless of how she frames it for herself, the reality is that for a woman of her class and age, choosing formula means having your peers act like you're dishing rat poison into your daughter's mouth. Funny how we live in a society that both expects women, especially highly educated and ambitious women, to breast feed, but forbids them to do so while pursuing their ambitions. If I didn't know any better, I'd think pushing women out of positions of prestige and power and back into the home was a feature and not a bug of this system. 

Original Article: Slate XX Factor

Word(less words) Wednesday: A (Cross-Cultural) Constellation of Madonnas

Madonna of Soweto

After the previous Madonna With Twins post my curiosity was piqued about others, and after I started composing this 'Wordless Wednesday' article, couldn't help but weigh in a bit. It took minimal searching to find a number of 'Madonna and Child' images that were close to the original artwork but I've been more interested in gaining an understanding on how this Holy dyad is depicted and experienced on a larger, more global level -- around the world, and how it reflects those different social and sub/cultural ideas and locations. Below are some of the images I've come across so far -- all linked to the sites where I found them, and you can continue to conduct your own research as well. Also, I don't know enough about the figures to know why some are breastfeeding -- which is what initially caught my attention about the Virgin, while others are not and what the significance of that is within the context, but I'd definitely be interested in finding out. I may do more research if I can get around to it, but in the meantime check this post often, because I may update it when I come across others -- there's a countless amount out there, and they vary even within cultures and within religions. It's so fascinating, and such an awesome example of seeing how these are projected through each creator or on-looker's cultural lens.

  

   Mambo Ezili Danto (aka Erzulie Dantor)      black madonna + child via Pinterest

Adriaen Isenbrant - The Virgin Nursing the Christ Child

My friend took this image on his visit to New Orleans Museum of Art. 3/13/13

                          Madonna and Child by David Forte                Apache Virgin and Child

                               Isis/Auset and Horus                       Soup's On Madonna and Child

                            Indian Madonna and Child                          By Olga Polun, 2008

 

                        African Madonna and Child.                           Massai Madonna and Child

                               Country not specified.              

 

                           'Gladys and Elizabeth'                      Moghul 'Hennaed Madonna and Child'

 

                         Lunar Madonna                                             Virgin and Child, Ethopian

                       

                      Black Madonna and Child, Nigeria                           Madre Mestiza