Season 02 - Episode 03: "Anthropology and Humanitarianism"

Anthropological Airwaves

In Episode 11 of Anthropological Airwaves, we speak with Professors Adia Benton of Northwestern University and Miriam Ticktin of The New School about multimodal and public anthropology through the lens of humanitarianism. Benton shows us how visual analysis can be used to plumb the depths of contradictions in humanitarianism, both in its ethos and specific interventions, exposing the white supremacist framework baked into the humanitarian project. Ticktin picks up where Benton leaves off, sharing insights from her work with immigrant and refugee populations in Europe, showing how the same logics are at work in the constitution of and efforts to ameliorate the "Refugee Crisis" in Europe. These conversations both challenge us to think more deeply about our commitments to our interlocutors and our various audiences, disciplinary, public, or otherwise.

Episode Transcript

Thumbnail Image: ABC News Still Depicting Salma Hayek and a Sierra Leonean baby (part of the sequence discussed in Adia's interview)

Credits:

Producer: Nooshin Sadeq-Samimi

Editor and Host: Kyle Olson

Interviewers: Sarah Rendell and Sharon Jacobs

Music:

Takuya Kuroda - "Rising Son"