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IN FOCUS October 2010 Anthropology News
(SSTR) contexts by aid, diplomacy tance of political conditions to the Mistrust skyrocketed
and military organizations. Sri Lanka success of short-term relief and as delays in deploying
continued from page 9 long-term rebuilding operations. relief to the north and
Filling in the Gaps The tsunami occurred during a east (areas already
Returning to the objective of this example, the tsunami altered land- long-standing conflict between the adversely affected by the civil war)
edited volume, the aim is to explore holding patterns along the coasts Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) increased perceptions of inequity.
how people and their relationship by consolidating property in the and the separatist guerrilla move- By 2006, the 2002 ceasefire had
with nature might enhance indi- hands of hotel developers in some ment of the Liberation Tigers of disintegrated. Increasing hostilities
vidual and community resilience areas with intensive tourism. Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Sri Lankanists led to the official abrogation of the
and perhaps even contribute to In the agricultural and fishing will likely spend another decade cease fire in 2008 and the GoSLs
social-ecological system resilience region on the east coast, alloca- assessing the impact of the tsunami seizure by military campaign of
in chaotic post-disaster or post- tion of house reconstruction funds on Sri Lankas entrenched ethnic all LTTE-occupied territories
conflict contexts. I remind the to male members of the family conflict and the ceasefire that had by mid-2009. In the final anal-
reader that we hope to take very threatened to undermine local been signed in early 2002. Scholars ysis, our tsunami research team
initial steps to address gaps in the traditions of female-owned dowry already concur that the lack of trust watched as the aftermath of the
resilience literature dealing with the houses and the widespread Tamil between the two sides adversely disaster enhanced the authority of
surprisingly few resilience studies and Muslim custom of matrilocal affected the distribution of relief the central government instead of
focused on cultural systems (Wright marriage, placing dwellings in the supplies. Instead of building trust promoting peaceful reconciliation
and Masten 2005). We also plan hands of male instead of female through collaborative humani- between the warring factions.
to attend to the literatures striking kin. Drawing on prior knowledge tarian efforts, the GoSL sought to
absence of work that embeds of the area, anthropologists pointed centralize distribution of interna- Michele Ruth Gamburd is
human development in ecosystems out these changes to development tional aid while the LTTE hoped to professor of anthropology at
that include interactions among workers, and subsequent field- control distribution in the territo- Portland State University. She is
species and nonhuman systems and work revealed that the matrilocal ries under its authority. the author of The Kitchen Spoons
integrates the theory and science household system is likely to be The stakeholders were keenly Handle: Transnationalism and
of individual human resilience in preserved in practice, despite these aware that the microcosm of relief Sri Lankas Migrant Housemaids
development with broader ecolog- post-tsunami housing policies. administration carried implica- (2000) and Breaking the Ashes:
ical systems theory and research An eventual return to local Tamil tions for territorial control, polit- The Culture of Illicit Liquor in Sri
exemplified by resilience scholar- Hindu goddess worship was also ical legitimacy and national sover- Lanka (2008).
ship (Masten and Obradovi 2008). documented despite the immediate eignty. Aggressive Sinhala nation-
This book is not intended to post-tsunami loss of faith in protec- alists categorically refused to Dennis B McGilvray is professor
be the answer or the proverbial tive seashore temples and shrines. devolve power in the distribu- of anthropology at University of
silver bullet for post-conflict and tion of aid, believing that this step Colorado at Boulder. His most
post-disaster situations, nor for Political Fallout would grant undue legitimacy to recent books include Muslim
advocates of community forestry Disasters always unfold within the LTTEs de facto state in the Perspectives on the Sri Lankan
and greening. We dont intend pre-existing political contexts. Sri north. Unable to agree on power Conflict (with Mirak Raheem,
to communicate that community Lankas recovery from the tsunami sharing for the administration of 2007) and Crucible of Conflict:
greening is a panacea. However, provides multiple lessons about humanitarian aid, the warring Tamil and Muslim Society on the
we have increasingly heard from disaster diplomacy and the impor- parties fell deeper into conflict. East Coast of Sri Lanka (2008).
post-conflict planners in military
and development assistance agen-
cies, in urban community devel-
opment contexts and among post-
disaster first responders that there February 2011 Anthropology News Call for Proposals:
is something important about the Circulation of Knowledge and Culture
role humans relationship with
nature plays in survival situations, As we begin 2011, the dissemination of knowledge tion of knowledge and culture play out in research?
when the threat of loss of life, and culture continue to change. When doing the How can anthropological knowledge better cross
of home and hearth is real and work of anthropology, one must learn how others disciplinary boundaries and be circulated outside
looms large, or after disaster strikes communicate their culture, whether it be through anthropology?
when one is trying to put the pieces objects, actions or language. In turn, anthropolo-
back together again. This book, gists share what they learn. Guidelines
we hope, will begin to document For the February issue of Anthropology News, we To participate, email a 300-word abstract and
these reports and engage them crit- seek proposals for a thematic series on the circu- 50100-word biosketch to Anthropology News
ically from a number of disciplines lation of knowledge and culture. We invite you to Acting Managing Editor Amy Goldenberg
and perspectives. explore how knowledge circulates among all stake- (agoldenberg@aaanet.org). We welcome pro-
holders, whether research participants, colleagues posals for In Focus commentaries, Teaching
Keith G Tidball serves as asso- or others outside of anthropology. We welcome Strategies, Field Notes articles, photo essays, news
ciate director and cofounder of the proposals that reflect on a variety of questions stories and interviews. Proposals for photo essays
Civic Ecology Lab in the College including but not limited to: How does knowledge should also include up to five high resolution photo-
of Agriculture and Life Sciences circulate? How do we circulate this knowledge back graphs (tiff or jpg), each with a caption and credit.
and as extension associate in the to the communities studied? How are people in Selected authors will be notified of their status in
Department of Natural Resources communities studied following up on the results early November, and full articlescommentaries of
at Cornell University. His research of anthropologists work? How might this circu- 1,000-1,400 words or shorter pieces for other article
focuses on community-based lation of ideas change culture? How does circula- typeswill be due December 1.
natural resource management in
post-catastrophe contexts, within a Proposal submission deadline: October 20, 2010. Early submissions are encouraged.
resilience framework.
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