Memory Reid PhD’s Post

"The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity" by David Graeber and David Wengrow challenges the traditional narrative of human history with a radical new theory of human civilization. The authors dispute the conventional linear progression from hunter-gatherer societies to agricultural villages, cities, and states, suggesting instead that our ancestors exercised considerable agency in determining their social structures. Through a meticulous examination of archaeological evidence and anthropological data, Graeber and Wengrow argue that early human societies were diverse and often egalitarian, experimenting with various forms of social organization long before the advent of agriculture or the rise of hierarchical states. The book contends that the so-called "agricultural revolution" did not inevitably lead to the formation of states and social hierarchies, pointing out instances where societies adopted farming while maintaining egalitarian structures. It criticizes the oversimplified narrative that agriculture was a singular, transformative event that directly led to modern civilization, instead highlighting the complexity and variability of human social arrangements throughout history. Graeber and Wengrow's work is a call to recognize the agency of early humans in shaping their own societies and to rethink our understanding of social evolution, freedom, and the nature of civilization itself. It's a profound reflection on human creativity and the diverse ways societies can organize themselves, offering insights that challenge deterministic views of history and open up new perspectives on our collective past. “We are projects of collective self-creation. What if we approached human history that way? What if we treat people, from the beginning, as imaginative, intelligent, playful creatures who deserve to be understood as such? What if, instead of telling a story about how our species fell from some idyllic state of equality, we ask how we came to be trapped in such tight conceptual shackles that we can no longer even imagine the possibility of reinventing ourselves?” #DawnOfEverything #GraeberWengrow #HumanHistoryReimagined #BeyondAgriculturalRevolution #SocietyEvolution #EgalitarianPast #AnthropologyInsights #RethinkingCivilization #PrehistoricSocieties #ArchaeologyAndFreedom #SocialComplexity #AlternativeHistories #PoliticalAnthropology #AncestralChoices #HistoryOfHumanity

MDP Director Dr. Carla Roncoli served as discussant for a double panel at the Society for Applied Anthropology Annual Meeting, which this year was held in Santa Fe, NM. Entitled “Anthropologies of the Future: Methods, Ethics, and Applications”, the panel included eight presentations, focused on projects that seek to identify emerging threats and mitigate environmental risks through forecasting, modeling, and scenario-building. The presenters -  mostly anthropologists working within trans-disciplinary teams -  also showcased participatory approaches that integrate local ways of knowing into effort to build community resilience and disaster preparedness. A conference discussant's task is to synthesize the papers and analyze common themes and notable insights. Drawing on her long-term research on climate forecasting for agricultural risk management, Dr. Roncoli highlighted the convergence of critical inquiry, community engagement, and embracing human agency in research, practice, and advocacy for more equitable and sustainable futures. ——— Carla Roncoli Hilary King Emory University Emory University Laney Graduate School #Anthropology #SocialScience #CommunityEngagement #Participation #IndigenousKnowledge #Modeling #Environment #Agriculture #ClimateChange #RiskManagement #SustainableDevelopment #GlobalGoals #MastersinDevelopment #EmoryMDP #Emory

Can merging technology with sociology save our planet's most vital resource? 🌍 At #GWS24, Jérôme Bailly, SVP of Innovation at SUEZ, underscored the pivotal role of #innovation in addressing water sector challenges. From resources to sludge management to water quality, Bailly emphasised the urgent need for innovation to drive ongoing transformation. This holistic approach is exemplified by SUEZ's unique #strategy of integrating sociologists into their R&D team. By changing people's attitudes and behaviors towards water, this approach aims to enact meaningful transformation in the water sector. Join the conversation on how SUEZ, the winner of the Water Company of the Year Global Water Award, is shaping the future of the #watersector through innovation ⬇️

Great things happen when everyone feels safe to contribute, even if that contribution may challenge the status quo. We are working to build great organisations that are open, inclusive and value diversity. Delivered as interactive half-day workshops, our Brave Conversations programs empower your teams to become agents of change by actively seeing and challenging systems that are not psychologically safe and that perpetuate inequality. Interested? Check out our Brave Conversations here: https://lnkd.in/gfHnvvqg #anthropology #culture #braveconversations #culturechange #positiveeducation #healthyrelationships #speaker #facilitation #beinghuman #ritesofpassage #ethnography #coaching #humannature #positiveeducation #lifehacks #emotionalintelligence #EQ #educationalpsychology #humancentredleadership #menaftermetoo #authenticleadership #consulting #empowerment #lifeready #imnotracistbut #leadership #diversity #evolution #teamofteams #DEIJB #diversityandinclusion

In my past, less constrained by time and resources, I was quite involved in the environmental and social movements of the time.  More recently, I've been sometimes a bit perplexed by the fact that many of the causes of that time have now been widely adopted to the everyday political and economical discourse. So, what are the new and emerging causes around which to rally and where the progressive environmental and social rights movements can find their identity?  I took a bit of time and tried to recognise some whose advent I have noticed, or which feel relevant and interesting to myself. I have added rough estimates of the advent of each frame of thought in brackets. It's notable that some quite old ideas like degrowth thinking and intersectionality have just recently made it out of the niches. Then some, like the situation with ecological restoration show parallel paths where the political adoption of the subjects have not diminished their importance to many in the activist and advocate groups. - Anthropause (2020s) - Resilience building (2020s) - The mental health aspects of the multicrisis/ ecoanxiety (late 2010s) - Critique of the astropastoral (2010s) - Deep adaptation (2018) - Space sustainability/planetary protection (2000s) - Wild legalism/ rights for nature (2000s) - Social/economics, & solidarity economics (in the North) (1990s) - Climate justice (late 1990s) - Posthumanism (1980s and 1990s, respectively) - Intersectional thinking (1980s) - Ecological restoration/rewilding (1980s) - Care ethics (1980s) - Decolonialism (1960s) - Degrowth (1970s) I would maybe add also deep ecology to the list, as despite being an older concept, it still deserves more attention in my opinion. While posthumanism shares many of its underlying ideas, deep ecology offers unique insights that are integral for any long term solutions in my opinion. This is just a subjective opinion, and I'm curious what are the things I've overlooked here? Any ideas? (image made with Midjourney, some help with the list from Mistral AI) #sustainability #society #activism #ecology #ideas #anthropause #resilience #ecoanxiety #astropastoral #deepadaptation #rightsfornature #socialeconomics #solidarityeconomics #climatejustice #posthumanism #intersectional #intersectionalfeminism #ecologicalrestoration #rewilding #care #careethics #decolonialism #degrowth #deepecology

Great things happen when everyone feels safe to contribute, even if that contribution may challenge the status quo. We are working to build great organisations that are open, inclusive and value diversity. Delivered as interactive half-day workshops, our Brave Conversations programs empower your teams to become agents of change by actively seeing and challenging systems that are not psychologically safe and that perpetuate inequality. Interested? Check out our Brave Conversations here: https://lnkd.in/grGa5Kdv #anthropology #culture #braveconversations #culturechange #positiveeducation #healthyrelationships #speaker #facilitation #beinghuman #ritesofpassage #ethnography #coaching #humannature #positiveeducation #lifehacks #emotionalintelligence #EQ #educationalpsychology #humancentredleadership #menaftermetoo #authenticleadership #consulting #empowerment #lifeready #imnotracistbut #leadership #diversity #evolution #teamofteams #DEIJB #diversityandinclusion

 Exploring the Future of Mountain Communities: A Creative Anthropological Perspective What happens when only elderly residents remain in a village, the working population is forced into commuting lifestyles, and essential services require journeys to neighboring towns? It's a moment to pause, observe the present, and envision the future. Federica Maino, a specialist in local development, embarked on this journey alongside a diverse team in the municipality of Tre Ville, nestled in the Trentino region. Like all intriguing tales, this one begins unexpectedly. One summer afternoon, Ivan Simoni, a resident of Montagne, a hamlet in Tre Ville, is driving home when he catches an interview on the radio. A researcher discusses the future of mountain villages, dwindling populations, and revitalization projects. Simoni turns up the volume. Although they speak of Seren del Grappa, his mind drifts to his hometown: Montagne, with its 223 inhabitants in western Trentino. Like many other hamlets, Montagne grapples with typical challenges of marginal areas: lack of services and job opportunities, an aging population, and declining demographics. In the days following, Simoni ponders the phrase heard on the radio, "community becoming the protagonist of territorial revival." He shares his musings with friends from the cultural association he belongs to, and within weeks, Federica Maino, the researcher from the radio interview, receives a call from Montagne. For the full story, visit the link in the comments section. Let's explore the dynamics of community-driven development together! #CommunityDevelopment #MountainCommunities #LocalDevelopment #AnthropologicalApproach #remotecommunity #wellbeing #anthropology #anthropocene

🌍 **Unlock the Power of The Anthropological Perspective with the JRC Scientific Tools!** The European Joint Research Centre (JRC) offers a wealth of scientific tools and databases that are crucial for businesses and professionals navigating today's complex world. But to truly harness their potential, integrating an anthropological perspective is essential. At Centro Ricerche EtnoAntropologiche APS, we emphasize the importance of understanding the social and cultural dimensions that shape the effectiveness of these tools. By considering the human and environmental contexts in which these tools are applied, businesses can achieve more sustainable and culturally sensitive outcomes. Whether you're working on environmental sustainability, social responsibility, or community engagement, adopting this approach ensures that your strategies are not only innovative but also socially inclusive and ethically sound. Explore the JRC’s tools here: [JRC Scientific Tools](https://lnkd.in/dD7CQUFc) #Anthropology #SustainableDevelopment #SocialResponsibility #Innovation #BusinessStrategy #CREA

With the European Association of Social Anthropologists Conference starting tomorrow, we are looking forward to our Panel 📌 "Black Hands, Green Jobs: Unpacking decarbonization through green labour" tomorrow Tuesday 23rd July, 13:45-15:30 at the Facultat de Geografia i Història room 222. The panel, convened by Theodora Vetta & Rune Bennike, is discussed by Jessica Smith. It sees 4 presenters who interrogate: What are green jobs? The eco-modernist narratives of the current energy “transition” tell us that–if we decarbonize the global economy–we will eventually end up not only with a greener world but with an estimated gross gain of 26 million jobs (ILO 2019). Indeed, green employment seems to be on the rise, with 13.7 million workers registered in the renewable sector alone in 2022 (IENA 2023). Yet, besides purely quantitative approaches and wishful worries about “decent jobs,” and a “Just Labor Transition,” we still lack thick ethnographic data on the greening of the global division of labor. Having a particular focus on decarbonization regions, but covering the whole value chain from prime material extraction (biofuel, minerals…) to manufacturing, planning, finance, construction, operation, and maintenance, we seek to address three main questions: 1) What are the lived realities of the “re/up-skilling” processes, promising the transformation of black to green jobs? How are transitional development programs and funding schemes grounded? Which “skills” are valued and which are not? 2) How is “sustainability” translated into concrete working experiences within the heavily financialised energy markets? What are the processes of unity and fragmentation in the making of this segment of the working class? 3) What are the gender aspects of such transformations and how do they fit the mainstream gender agenda of decarbonization policies? Can we talk about green labor instead of jobs in order to account for the unpaid gendered and racialized green labors in different temporal/spatial reconfigurations of the energy restructuring? don't miss it, more info here 👇 https://lnkd.in/dPvHbjF6 #energy #greenenergy #energytransitions #justtransitions #energyanthropology #anthropology #ethnography #sustainability #decarbonisation #EASA2014

You can include anomalies like Weird Barbie in your worldbuilding too! Read more 👉 https://lttr.ai/ASsM1 #WeirdBarbie #QualityWorldbuilding #CulturalAnthropology #CreateFictionalWorlds