Nadia Abu El-Haj, Barnard College

“From History to Biology and Back Again”

The Department of Anthropology and the Department of History and Sociology of Science are co-sponsors of this meeting of the Penn Anthropology Colloquium.

Lunch will be served.

Penn Anthropology Colloquium 2012-2013 Theme: Crossroads Recent developments have made the internal and external boundaries of anthropology increasingly nebulous. The growing specialization of subfield niches raises questions about what holds together anthropology’s “sacred bundle”, while interdisciplinary collaboration poses questions about what constitutes the essence of the discipline. To investigate these issues—at once classic and novel—this year’s colloquium series turns to scholars who negotiate intersections in their work. Some speakers study topics that bridge the discipline’s four subfields, carrying on the legacy of previous generations in fresh ways and exploring the unique opportunities that new developments have opened up. Other speakers study topics that lie at the crossroads of anthropology with other disciplines including biology, psychology, and law. In every case, the speakers present new answers—and new questions—regarding the paths that our discipline may take at this pivotal moment.