3520

Social Lives of Places and Things

20 February 2006

Anth 3520

Announcement: Writing Centre Courses

Reading for Today was: Rathje 81-109, 133-140, 171-212: Into the Unknown; A Garbage Census? The Technological Fix (optional); Closing the Loop.

Major term assignment handed out a couple of weeks ago, with additional details last week. See here.

Reading for next class, Feb 27: Archaeology of the Contemporary Past

Buchli and Lucas: The absent present pp 1-18

Buchli and Lucas: Models of production and consumption pp 21-25

Majewski and Schiffer: Beyond consumption: Toward an archaeology of consumerism. pp 26-50

Homework for next week, 2%: Write around 400 words summarizing the key points from the week's readings.

Plan for Class

Quiz, 2%.

Discussion: More on Garbage and Recycling! Especially electronics - computers, cell phones...

The Surprising Afterlives of Your T-Shirts: Video, T-Shirt Travels (York vid #6389) -- see handout --and Discussion

Links to explore

Cell Phones: Coltan, War, Gorillas

http://www.american.edu/TED/ice/congo-coltan.htm

Toronto's Garbage

http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0504/25/B01-161050.htm