Xenophobia and racism have long existed throughout human society, but in recent years the increasing documentation of these instances has propelled civil rights issues into the spotlight. Today, I would like to focus this spotlight on the recent deluge of hate crimes against Asian American individuals in the US. While people of Asian decent have always faced certain prejudices, the COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in China, has been linked to a significant increase in violence against Asian Americans. According to Time Magazine, “hate crimes motivated by anti-Asian sentiment jumped 1,900% i ..read more

Dance showcases the uniqueness and capabilities of individuals and can provide opportunities for growth and leadership. However, dance lessons are not readily accessible and available for many populations, especially minorities or underprivileged people. Additionally, many dance education curriculums are not diverse and center on only certain styles of dance, rather than styles from around the world. There is a need for further cultural diversity in the realm of dance and further inclusivity of marginalized populations. According to United States Census Bureau, by 2044 more than 50% of America ..read more

Equitable global access to Covid-19 vaccines is a growing issue, with certain countries projected to not receive the vaccine until 2023. Although the progression of research surrounding Covid-19 has been remarkable, the certain biases regarding manufacturing, purchasing, and distributing Covid-19 vaccines have shown detrimental to global needs. According to data, there are substantial concentrations of vaccine reservations among high income countries, leading to lack of access for low income countries. Wealthier countries with only 14% of the world’s population have 53% of the eight most effec ..read more

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe examines the effect of colonialism on the Igbo community Umuofia in Nigeria. Through the protagonist, the Igbo warrior Okonkwo, the reader gains insight on precolonial Africa and how missionaries affect the overall culture of the community. Things Fall Apart is Achebe’s first novel, and one of his main purposes in writing the novel was simply to tell the true story of himself and his people. For centuries, the story of Africa has been told by European writers and has not been accurate. He wanted to write a story that would be an accurate representation of his ..read more

Dance ethnology is the study of dance as a means to analyze human culture, social structure, and societies. It is a relatively new branch of anthropology, but research and publications focused on collecting and interpreting dances are becoming more available. Ethnologists identify what is considered dance and studies the expressive and rhythmic aspects of movement. Ethnologists study “culture and social forms as expressed through a medium of dance and how dance functions within a cultural pattern”.  Ethnological dance is more focused on indigenous or folk dances rather than modern-day dan ..read more

With expanding technology, anthropologists have turned to social media to examine cultural aspects of different countries. Since technology impacts the daily lives of most people, anthropologists have begun to study how digitalization affects what it means to be human. In the global anthropological research project “Why We Post” anthropologists studied the uses and consequences of social media. Nine anthropologists spent fifteen months in nine communities around the world analyzing the role of social media in societies. They took a comparative approach studying the effects of social media arou ..read more

Not everyone’s daily meals consist of the usual American subsistence of chicken, vegetables, or pasta. From special holiday-time food to everyday fare, many cultures have very unique and special traditions when it comes to food. In most cases, these bizarre food items have an interesting history, a one-of-a-kind preparation method, or require a distinctive acquired taste. Out of the thousands of foods from different cultures, we have picked five of the most fascinating foods around the globe to share their story: 1. Fried Tarantulas, Cambodia While you won’t find many spiders on the menu in Am ..read more

As a native resident of Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, I am fortunate to live in an area of diversity, full of different music, religions, food, languages, and more that reveal many wonderful cultures. One of my favorite aspects of Houston is Chinatown which happens to be walking distance from my school. Although, I go there quite often for afternoon snacks, I realized that I did not know a lot about the history and evolution of Chinatown. After doing some research I found out more about some of the key influences in Houston. The first Chinese in Houston arrived in 1870 ..read more

Movies and Documentaries are excellent vehicles for studying anthropology, and the use of film to study humanity has greatly increased with the rise in technology. By helping people visualize events, films can provide new perspectives on the culture and lifestyle of people. Contrary to written publications, films tend to be more captivating towards audiences and can be integral in understanding anthropology. Films allow anthropologists to capture what words cannot and to portray their findings in clear manner that can be comprehended by lay people. Additionally, films provide anthropologists t ..read more

There’s an old proverb that says imitation is the highest form of flattery. But is it really? Emulating styles, traditions, clothing, and even hairstyles from other cultures has become popularized in modern times. However, this imitation can cross some serious lines. This is where the term cultural appropriation comes into play. What is cultural appropriation? The Oxford Languages Dictionary defines it as “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society”. Basically ..read more