Category Archives: News

I found this ethnography interesting because it traces ethnic formation in the Southeast Asian diaspora through the lens of the matsutake mushroom. I knew culture and economic livelihood were tied together, but it was interesting to read about the extent … Continue reading →

Tsing’s writing stood out to me for her discussion surrounding the theme of precarity, through the medium of matsutake. I like how she ties together growth of the Japanese-native mushroom to regional industrialization and globalization, as part of an uncertain … Continue reading →

There were two aspects of Tsing’s writing that stood out to me. The first was her emphasis on observation. Before the prologue, Tsing writes that “research categories develop with the research, not before it.” This captures the sheer essence of … Continue reading →

Tsing claims that her intent behind the project is not reactionary nor conservative but subversive. I find Tsing’s way of arguing for emancipating human imagination fascinating. Human beings are caught up in the narrative of progress accompanied by simplicity. From … Continue reading →

The Tsing reading prompted my reflection on the relationship between various meanings of “nature”: such as “human nature” – one’s disposition – or “Mother Nature” – the source of life and wild spaces. In addition, I am currently reading William … Continue reading →

For another class, I have been reading The Sociological Imagination. The sociological imagination encourages social scientists, as they work on policies, ethnographies, etc., to critically consider their situation. This means accounting for the historical context, the interactions between systems, and … Continue reading →

Hello All, At the top of the blog page you will see tabs on how to post and on question prompts. The question prompts can help you with developing your response. My main suggestion is with your posts: don’t be … Continue reading →

While reading Tea and Solidarity, I could not help but be reminded of our earlier reading Queer Freedom: Black Sovereignty as they share similar themes concerning the bodily exploitation resulting from colonization. Perceptions of the Hill Country Tamil’s body were externally … Continue reading →

I really enjoyed reading Tea and Solidarity for many reasons, but specifically for its emphasis on language and the importance that it holds in justice and dignity. The way that words were translated next to their meaning in English throughout … Continue reading →

I really enjoyed the reading for this week and loved that I was a discussion leader for this reading as it was very interesting and important. When I originally signed up to be a discussion leader, I had no idea … Continue reading →

In Tea and Solidarity,  Dr. Jegathesan explores the stories of the women, men, and children who have built their families and lived in line houses on tea plantations in Sri Lanka. Dr. Jegathesan seeks to expand anthropological understandings of dispossession and draws … Continue reading →

After the series of heavier ethnographies we have gone through, this one was introduced as an ethnography about tea. However, much like with many other parts of the global economy, modern day tea production is the product of neocolonialism. I … Continue reading →

Tea & Solidarity provided an interesting look into the lives of Tamil women during the postwar era in Sri Lanka. In the novel, author Mythri Jegathesan illustrates the economic crisis that the tea industry was funneled through after the civil … Continue reading →

Colonization is a big topic which there can be many different feelings toward this subject.  Jagathessan talks about a deep subject but conveys it very fluently. Reading the article made it clear how she felt when talking about colonization. Thinking … Continue reading →

Tea and Solidarity discusses the desire among minorities of Hill Country Tamil workers to be free of the legend of colonialism. Similar themes of racial, economic, and social oppression can be seen throughout the book to other works we have … Continue reading →

I came for tea, and instead found a narrative about how colonialism manages to stick around. In all seriousness, the story about Sadha and her family really struck me. Especially, the point where her niece took her seriously for a … Continue reading →