This blog takes you from the origins of Anthrospin, through the publishing of my first DVD, detailing how my videography kit started and evolved, and what I used for which projects, including the drawbacks of each incarnation.
Author: Pedal Powered Anthropology
What’s in a Name?
I spent a lot of time thinking about the name for Pedal Powered Anthropology. I like it. I liked it. The "Anthropology" part is obvious--I'm an anthropologist doing anthropological things. But why "Pedal Powered?"
One Day at Dachau
I cannot think of anything more representative of the absolute worst that humans are capable of than the words on this gate. Arbeit Macht Frei--Work Makes You Free. How long did these gates stand before the words on them took on the meaning they now have? I can't imagine stepping off of a train, not quite knowing what was in store but fearing the worst, and seeing this phrase.
A Few Words about Summer, 2013
This is a huge post. I've been asked if I intend to make it into a book. It's an account of my initial draw towards paleoanthropology, and my first field experience in it, in the Turkana region of Kenya.
Everyone’s a Victim of Their Time!
The idea of people being "victims of their time," and why I think that's both limited and fallacious, as well as why I think it could also be very well suited to anthropological thought...when taken literally.
2018 Has Been an Unexpected Year.
It's now the end of April, 2018. I don't know how. Pedal Powered Anthropology is plugging along, and I can't believe how it's taken off. Looking back at my post on the end of 2017, I've kept fairly well within expectations, and honestly...pretty well beyond expectations in many cases. The Mill Project, as it was … Continue reading 2018 Has Been an Unexpected Year.
An Evening with Eva Kor
I had heard of Eva Kor a few years earlier in her documentary entitled, "Forgiving Dr. Mengele," which, if you're aware of who Dr. Mengele was, is a pretty audacious title. Dr. Mengele was the infamous Nazi doctor of Auschwitz concentration/death camp during the Holocaust. His name rose to prominence because of the grotesque experiments he would perform on the prisoners at the camp. His favorite subject was twins. He is also known as the Angel of Death.
Rhode Island’s Industrial Revolution
This article is more or less the written account of my documentary film entitled Rhode Island's Industrial Revolution: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. So if you've seen that and aren't much of a reader, there's not a whole lot of new information here. However, there is a bit more discussion about things that would have been rambling in the film. There are also images that you can look at at your own pace, rather than how I decided you get to see them in the film. All of my research references will be provided through links at the bottom of this article.
So…Just What is Anthropology, Anyway?
This post is a general overview of the science and four fields of American anthropology. It's a rework of an old post, and intended as a companion read to this video. It's a bit more specific than the video, so if you saw the video and want a bit more information without getting inundated by … Continue reading So…Just What is Anthropology, Anyway?
It’s Time to Visit Nathanael Greene
I've commuted from Providence to Coventry, Rhode Island for work for almost 12 years now. For probably 8 of those 12 years, it's been with varying frequency on bike. For about 2 of those 8 years, it's been pretty much always on bike. For the entire time, I'd been passing signs for the Nathanael Greene … Continue reading It’s Time to Visit Nathanael Greene
Everyday Anthropology 