Synopses & Reviews
In the West at the turn of the twentieth century, public understanding of science and the world was shaped in part by expeditions to Asia, North America, and the Pacific.
The Anthropology of Expeditions draws together contributions from anthropologists and historians of science to explore the role of these journeys in natural history and anthropology between approximately 1890 and 1930. By examining collected materials as well as museum and archive records, the contributors to this volume shed light on the complex social life and intimate work practices of the researchers involved in these expeditions. At the same time, the contributors also demonstrate the methodological challenges and rewards of studying these legacies and provide new insights for the history of collecting, history of anthropology, and histories of expeditions. Offering fascinating insights into the nature of expeditions and the human relationships that shaped them,
The Anthropology of Expeditions sets a new standard for the field.
Synopsis
In January 1935, the Vernay-Hopwood Chindwin Expedition departed from Rangoon to explore the Chindwin River valley on behalf of the American Museum of Natural History. The party traversed northern Burma, gathering biological specimens and ethnological artifacts for the museum.
This intriguing book includes documentation and photographs made during the journey as well as biographical narratives of its organizers, sponsors, and field scientists. The collected items, personal belongings, provisions, tools, and exchange goods carried by the expedition party tell the story of the participantsandrsquo; encounters with flora, fauna, landscapes, and people, including the andldquo;head-hunting Nagas.andrdquo; This account offers fascinating details of the expeditionandrsquo;s itinerary, cross-cultural interactions, and exchanges.
Synopsis
Texts, photographs, and collected specimens and artifacts convey the experiences and findings of the three-month Vernay-Hopwood Chindwin expedition in northern Burma on behalf of the American Museum of Natural History.
Synopsis
This book makes a very strong contribution to the history of collecting, to the history of anthropology and to the new histories of expeditions. The authors explore the role of expeditions in natural history and anthropology between about 1890 and 1930. The Anthropology of Expeditions draws together contributions from North American and British anthropologists and historians of science working on the anthropology of expeditions from the perspective of their collected natural and cultural materials and their records in museums and archives. The book joins a growing body of work, which demonstrates the methodological challenges and analytic rewards for examining these legacies and their archived traces. It also sheds light on the complex social life, intimate details of work, and the practices of museum-sponsored expeditionary labors carried out in diverse geographies: Asia, North America, and the Pacific.
About the Author
Joshua A. Bell is curator of globalization in the Department of Anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History.Erin L. Hasinoff is a research associate in the Division of Anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History and teaches in the Department of Anthropology at Columbia University.