Can ethnography be a tool for activism? With Dr. Manissa Maharawal

Can ethnography be a tool for activism? In this episode, we talked with Professor Manissa Maharawal about this. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at American University. She is a cultural anthropologist and critical geographer. Her work focuses on eviction, race, displacement, and the spatial and temporal dynamics of contemporary urban social movements. She co-founded the Narratives of Displacement and Resistance Project within the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project. Dr. Maharawal is currently revising her new book manuscript titled: Anti-Eviction: Contesting Tech-Led Gentrification in San Francisco. Resources: Anti-Eviction Mapping Project: https://antievictionmap.com/   Ethnographies to read:

• “Progressive Dystopia: Abolition, Antiblackness, and Schooling in San Francisco.” – Savannah Shange
• “On the Plaza: The Politics of Public Space and Culture.” – Setha M. Low

Music Credits: "Study And Relax" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

About In the Thick of It and the Public Ethnography Lab: Welcome to In the Thick of It. On this podcast, we talk with researchers about how they do what they do, one method at a time. In the episodes, we dive into the behind-the-scenes of anthropology by explaining the choices, challenges, and creativity that go into qualitative methods. Our first season is hosted by Eva Rey, PhD Candidate at American University. This is a podcast is a project of the Public Ethnography Lab. The Public Ethnography Lab is a new center housed in the Department of Anthropology at American University that is focused on making ethnographic work matter beyond academia. The lab has three primary functions:

1. Foster, promote, and increase the use and appreciation of ethnographic methods
2. Support students, practitioners, and organizations in their ethnographic practice
3. Create ethnographic collaboration in order to advance community-driven social change

Want to know more? Visit the lab website: https://www.publicethnographylab.com/

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