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In the article Interrogating racism: Toward antiracist anthropology (2005), the author Leith Mullings discusses the issue of racism in anthropological studies. In the introductory part of the research, Mullings explains the historical connection between anthropology, racism, and antiracist movements. She states that anthropology has a contradicting history when it comes to manifestations of racism, as this field of study once supported “scientific racism,” offering justification for slavery. However, as the author elaborates, after World War II, during which racism has piqued, anthropology took a turn towards antiracism, creating a new scientific tradition. Still, Mullings (2005) states that “despite an impressive early antiracist tradition and significant mobilization around the critique of the “culture of poverty,” anthropological analysis of racism failed to become a major current in anthropology” (p. 670). There is no united opinion on racism in an anthropological scientific society, which brings the discussion into the field.
Next, Mullings provides a historical perspective on the concept of racism. The author offers an explanation of how racism emerged, what supported the concept early in history, and why it has persisted to that day. Mullings adds that racism, despite its destructive meaning, has evolved with time, being dynamic and fluid. Next, an overview of contemporary instances of racism is provided, and Mulling offers arguments on how racism can be concealed in various ideologies. The author provides a compelling discussion on racism as a social and historical phenomenon, assessing it from different angles. Finally, in the last part of the article, Mullings elaborates on the concept of antiracism, speaking about the future of race in the modern world. Moreover, she also provides thoughts on the connection between anthropology and antiracism, developing an understanding of the current agenda in the field as a conclusion.
The second article is Economics, written by Sarah Lyon and published in the book Perspectives: An open invitation to cultural anthropology (2017). It draws on the unfamiliar concept of economic anthropology, providing an overview of its main concepts and defining it for the reader. The author differentiates between economics and anthropology while simultaneously highlighting their similarities that together form economic anthropology. After establishing its concept of it, Lyon offers an overview of different modes of production that have existed throughout history. According to Lyon (2017), “a key concept in anthropological studies of economic life is the mode of production or the social relations through which human labor is used to transform energy from nature” (p. 120). Subsequently, going through different modes of production, the author explains each of them through examples and related concepts.
Next, Lyon offers a comprehensive explanation of reciprocity, redistribution, and market modes of exchange using comparative examples. The author uses narratives to ensure understanding of complex terms that are explained throughout the article. Moreover, she also elaborates on the importance of money for any economy, stating that the concept of money is defined as the beneficial exchange of goods and services. Lyon uses cases to support her argumentation: for example, she speaks about salaula markets in Zambia – the second-hand clothing venues. She applies the case of salaula to illustrate the concept of the informal economy with real-life evidence.
Finally, Lyon elaborates on the concept of capitalism in modern society, again using already existing examples as supporting evidence. Barbie dolls, Darjeeling tea, and China elite’s consumption strategies are one of the themes she uses as illustrations of her arguments. Lyon discusses the issues of consumption in a capitalist economy and touches upon the political economy in her study as the source of inequality in the world. In concluding her research, she draws parallels between economy and anthropology, stating that historical perspectives are crucial for understanding modern community frameworks.
References
Lyon, S. (2017). 6. Economics. In N. Brown, L. T. de Gonzalez, & T. McIlwraith (Eds.), Perspectives: An open invitation to cultural anthropology (pp. 119–147). essay, American Anthropology Association.
Mullings, L. (2005). Interrogating racism: Toward an antiracist anthropology. Annual Review of Anthropology, 34(1), 667–693. Web.
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