Highly Recommended: Laszlo Montgomery’s The China History Podcast

Posted on 10 May, 2012 by Jonathan Mair

The China History Podcast comes all the way from sunny Claremont, California, courtesy of Laszlo Montgomery, and is highly recommended. I’ve been listening to it on and off since last summer and have learnt a lot from it.

It’s a great introduction to some key episodes and themes in Chinese history, and the host has a nice, calm, leisurely style of delivery that makes a good contrast for turbulent history he is usually recounting. And at 3-4 episodes a month, of 30+ minutes each, this guy is amazingly productive.

US Discount flyer for Anthropology of Ignorance

Posted on 3 May, 2012 by Jonathan Mair

A 20% discount flyer for The Anthropology of Ignorance valid for purchases from Palgrave USA (but not from the UK Palgrave—sorry!) can be downloaded using the link below:

High, Kelly, and Mair (eds.) 2012. The Anthropology of Ignorance: An Ethnographic Approach—flyer

BBC Radio 4 Great Lives on Edward Said

Posted on 1 May, 2012 by Jonathan Mair

For my students in the Key Debates in Anthropology course – this week’s episode of BBC Radio 4′s Great Lives may be of interest. It’s on Edward Said, whose Orientalism we debated earlier in the year. The host is the excellent Matthew Parris, in discussion with ‘expert witnesses’ and the comedian Alexei Sayle (pictured above – I’m a big fan), who nominated Said for this programme. It should be available to listen to on the BBC iPlayer for the next couple of weeks, though I’m not sure it will be available from outside the UK.

People’s Daily Online: Tibetan Buddhist temples in China’s Inner Mongolia

Posted on 1 May, 2012 by Jonathan Mair

The People’s Daily Online has published a small gallery of Tibetan Buddhism temples in China’s Inner Mongolia. Photos 4 and 5 are of Baruun Hiid in Alashaa League in the far west of Inner Mongolia. 6 and 7 show Badgar Hiid, near Baotou, somewhere I have spent quite a bit of fieldwork time.

Jiangsu cadre: “Humanistic Buddhism shares common origin with the socialist core value system”

Posted on 1 May, 2012 by Jonathan Mair

台湾佛光山开山宗长星云大师一行来江阴考察–地方–人民网.

I just came across this article in the online version of the People’s Daily, the Chinese government newspaper. It reports on a visit by Master Xing Yun, the leader of Fo Guang Shan, to a city in his native Jiang Su Province in southern China. The local cadre who greeted him said (my translation):

…Master Xing Yun’s “Do Good Deeds, Think Good Thoughts, Speak Good Words” [the "Three Goods"] and his other views all share a common origin with the socialist core value system, they can assist people to establish a proper view of life and of values, and it is very worthwhile to study and honour them.

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The Anthropology of Ignorance

Posted on 17 April, 2012 by Jonathan Mair

High, C., A. Kelly & J. Mair (2012). The Anthropology of Ignorance: An Ethnographic Approach

High, C., Kelly, A., Mair, J. (eds.) 2012. The Anthropology of Ignorance: An Ethnographic Approach. New York & Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

A new volume on the anthropology of ignorance, which I edited with Casey High and Ann Kelly, came out last week with Palgrave. I’m really pleased with the finished product, and that’s all down to the contributors who have produced some excellent chapters…and stuck to all the deadlines—many thanks to all of you!

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