In a special Valentine's Day feature, concentrators in the Department of Anthropology share what they love about being part of the community.
“ The people and the professors. There is so much kindness, love of learning, and critical thought in this department. Being a part of the anthropology department has made me think more critically about almost all facets of life, not just what I discuss in the classroom. ”
“ Culture and Health! This course sparked my desire to study medical anthropology. Professor Kate Mason is a gifted storyteller, and that class opened me up to so many ideologies of healing that I'd written off in the past. I still think about concepts from that class constantly, whether it's checking my own assumptions about what I consider to be "natural" definitions of sickness and health or when thinking about ethical scenarios in medicine, such as what to do if a patient gets off of the kidney transplant list but wants to attend a ritual healing ceremony in their home country. ”
“ I love the community! The concentration is small but tight-knit, which is a bit of a cliche but rings true. I truly feel as though every student in the department is on their peers' team, and I've gotten to know our professors so intimately, in a way I don't think I could have studying anything else. ”
“ The community of students in the anthropology department, guided by the fantastic faculty, are some of the most passionate and complex people I have had the privilege of getting to know at Brown. I am consistently amazed by the conversations I get to be a part of in the department. My classmates have fundamentally shaped my academic journey and enriched my perspectives consistently. I love the anthropology students and faculty at Brown! ”
“ The professors and faculty are truly invested in student learning and growth. Their encouragement and support make Anthropology at Brown special! ”
“ I feel like the Anthropology department at Brown is very diverse and larger than I had expected! ”
“ I absolutely love the classroom environment in Anthropology courses. The professors and TAs make a clear and effective effort to make students feel comfortable participating. ”
“ I am currently taking Intersectional Anthropology, and I can already tell that what I learn in this class will completely shift my perspective in future classes and research. ”
“ The professors and the readings! I've never encountered such approachable professors, and I love how the readings in our courses are so diverse and have a story-telling aspect to them. ”
“ I love the way that I am able to learn about different cultures and specific practices almost every day. ”
“ I feel like Anthropology makes things stick with you. Years later, there's a certain influential ethnographer or community leader that comes to mind every once in a while. It has the type of classes that make you reflect on what you have believed in and who you are in relation to others. ”
“ I took Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology and Introduction to Cultural Anthropology in the same semester last year. It definitely tested my writing skills, and it also reminded me that there are many different disciplines in the field with many people working to transform it for the better. ”
“ Meeting other anthro concentrators! Never a lack of interesting things to discuss, from asking biological anthropologists 'what if Planet of the Apes was real,' to in-depth discussions about ceramic sherds. ”
“ How interdisciplinary so many of our classes are, I am always learning a new perspective. ”