Niematerialny świat Dul-dul at. O procesie zanurzania w świat Innych, o relacjach, ludziach i innych bytach

This essay is a non-linear record of memories from the author’s anthropological field- work in southern Kyrgyzstan. The research concerns a place called Dul-dul at, a site of petroglyphs with a dominant motif of animals interpreted as a pair of horses. The area at the foot of the rock with petroglyphs is also a pilgrimage and ritual site for healing and spiritual practices. The narrative of memories shows the transformation not only of the place of research, but also of the researcher: between the first stay (in 2006) to the last (in 2019). Subsequent studies reveal the dependencies of people involved in social rela- tions on the material and non-material world of Dul-dul at. Consecutive memories reveal layers of knowledge and ignorance, and how the researcher penetrates the community of the Others and the way they perceive the world.

Introduction

This volume brings together a diverse range of scholars in American literary studies and related fields to definitively establish The Book of Mormon as an indispensable object of Americanist inquiry. The book has generated controversy since its initial publication in 1830, as readers have deemed it everything from a sacred scripture to a dangerous fraud. As this collection shows, though, The Book of Mormon’s intricate literary forms and radical historical vision make it a worthwhile object of scholarly inquiry. Drawing on formalist criticism, literary and cultural theory, book history, religious studies, and even anthropological field work, Americanist Approaches to The Book of Mormon captures as never before the full dimensions and resonances of this “American Bible.”

Americanist Approaches to The Book of Mormon

As the sacred text of a modern religious movement of global reach, The Book of Mormon has undeniable historical significance. That significance, this volume shows, is inextricable from the intricacy of its literary form and the audacity of its historical vision. This landmark collection brings together a diverse range of scholars in American literary studies and related fields to definitively establish The Book of Mormon as an indispensable object of Americanist inquiry not least because it is, among other things, a form of Americanist inquiry in its own right—a creative, critical reading of “America.” Drawing on formalist criticism, literary and cultural theory, book history, religious studies, and even anthropological field work, Americanist Approaches to The Book of Mormon captures as never before the full dimensions and resonances of this “American Bible.”

Gossip and Reputation in Small-scale Societies

This chapter treats gossip and reputation from an anthropological perspective, starting with the evolutionary origin of gossiping behavior and extending through the social and evolutionary functions of personal reputations in small-scale societies. The chapter points to an actual case history of a bizarre murder in an anthropology department, in which Persian burial rituals were replicated, and it provides an example of the use of gossip as a tool in anthropological field work, which is based on the author’s experience among tribal Serbs in Montenegro. The inherent “leakiness” of gossip systems is modeled, and the analysis of how private information becomes public suggests that often such exposure is a function of gossip chains rather than the result of deliberate betrayal of confidences. Also treated is the persistence of gossiping and reputation-mongering in modern literate society, including gossip columns, soap operas, and tabloids.

Hyper/Comics/Con/Text: Institutional Contexts and Interface Design in Online Educational Hypercomics

When he first coined the term 'hyper-comics' in his 1970 essay 'No More Teacher's Dirty Looks,' Ted Nelson envisioned 'comic strip' images connected via hyperlinks for educational purposes (2003, 316). However, while Internet technologies have allowed for various narrative and artistic actualizations of Nelson's futurist prognostications, educational hypercomics remain largely understudied. This paper returns to Nelson's original themes by comparing interface designs and institutional origins of two educational hypercomics: Factoring with Mr. Yang and Mosley the Alien, a comics lecture series on algebraic factoring and The Secret in the Cellar, an annotated webcomic fictionalization of forensic anthropological field work. This analysis will show how sociocultural contexts created by institutional stakeholders give shape to multimodal designs of pedagogical discourse, in order to further knowledge of the evolving practices and processes of integrating comics into e-learning.

Lost in Translation? Ethics and Ethnography in Design Research

It has long been the case that ethnographic techniques have been appropriated by other disciplines. In particular, designers have employed ethnography and naturalistic inquiry in research for private and public sector client projects. As ethnographic methods have diffused to other fields questions have been raised about whether the ethical concerns that have become engrained over time in anthropological field work have carried over along with the methodology. This article explores how ethical considerations are addressed (or not) in ethnographic-style research, specifically within the field of design. A review of secondary sources and interviews with three practicing designers provide insight as to the shifts that have occurred over time within design and how these changes have impacted design research and practice, specifically in relation to ethical issues.