ANTH RRG: Anthropology of/in/and International Relations

In the words of Hylland Eriksen, anthropology has historically limited its scope to “small places”. In a world of global issues, this becomes untenable. On the other hand, International Relations, in its pursuit of a parsimonious systematic theory, has for long disregarded the complexities of local social phenomena. This RRG will look at the potential points of convergence and divergence between anthropology and International Relations (IR). By critically addressing the fortes and blind points of both disciplines, we will inquire about the ways in which anthropology can inform contemporary issues in IR and security studies, as well as the horizons that IR theory can open in anthropological practice. Some of the topics that will be discussed in light of this transdisciplinary approach will be the evolution of war, revolutions, nationalism, critical terrorism studies, (in)security, feminist and queer theory, postcolonialism and race, borders and boundaries, climate change, and development studies. We will meet fortnightly to discuss between two and four readings on each week’s topic, and how they inform, challenge or destabilise underpinning assumptions in Anthropology and IR.