International Book Competition

The California Series in Public Anthropology draws professional scholars from a wide range of disciplines to address major public issues in ways that readers beyond the academy find valuable. Many academics write on narrow subjects in self-contained styles that only coteries of colleagues appreciate. Instead, the Series strives to analyze important public concerns in ways that help non-academic audiences to understand and address them.

To date, the California Series in Public Anthropology has enjoyed significant success. Many prominent scholars – from Paul Farmer, Margaret Lock, and Aiwa Ong to Nancy Scheper-Hughes, Philippe Bourgois, and Carolyn Nordstrom have or, will soon, be publishing in the Series. And some of the authors, such as Paul Farmer, have not only sold well beyond the academy but their writings have helped shape how particular public problems are addressed.

As a way of continuing and expanding on these efforts, the University of California Press in association with the Center for a Public Anthropology is sponsoring an international completion. The Series will award a formal, publishing contract to the best book proposal – without the author necessarily having completed (or even started) the writing of the proposed manuscript. The winner will receive, in addition to a formal book contract with U.C. Press, a five thousand dollar advance.

The editors encourage prospective authors to keep four important points in mind in preparing their proposals:

First, in developing their submission, authors should focus on questions readers beyond the academic pale find compelling. This means forsaking the questions that absorb academics and addressing the questions that absorb others.

Second, authors should write their proposals in ways that will likely attract the interest of a wide range of readers. They should avoid theoretical jargon and put obscuring details, theoretical elaborations, and citations in footnotes. Authors will know they have succeeded in this regard when they can show their proposals to non-academic friends and these friends not only understand the proposals but find them absorbing.

Third, authors’ proposed manuscripts should tell stories. A whole manuscript might present a story or, if an author prefers, stories could be used to develop concrete points within particular chapters. Humans, by their nature, are story tellers. We understand the world around us not only through our experiences but, also, through stories people tell about the world. The proposed manuscript -- by the way it is structured, by the way it develops its “plot” -- should keep a readers’ attention while drawing the reader towards new insights.

Fourth, a manuscript’s importance should not be equated with its length. The Series rarely publishes manuscripts of more than 100,000 words (including footnotes and references). It does so only in exceptional circumstances.

One of the present ironies of anthropology – and why this competition is casting a broad net for submissions – is that the most appreciated and best selling anthropologically-oriented books today are all written by authors with little or no formal anthropological training. Prospective authors may wish to consider the following books as models in developing their proposals.

Anne Fadiman’s The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down deals with miscommunications between a Laotian Hmong refugee family and the medical staff of a Merced California hospital treating the family’s epileptic daughter. It offers a nuanced, account of the problems well-intentioned people face when they talk past one another. It has received numerous honors, including the National Book Critics Circle Award for General Nonfiction and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Current Interest. The New Yorker observed "Fadiman describes with extraordinary skill the colliding worlds of Western medicine and Hmong culture."

Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickeled and Dimed deals with how low wage workers struggle to get by in America. It tells Ehrenreich’s story, as an undercover journalist, trying to make a living in such jobs as a waitress, cleaning lady, and Wal-Mart salesperson. The book spent more than 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was deemed a “Long-Running Best-Seller” by BusinessWeek. Gallagher, in a New York Times Book Review, described Ehrenreich as “our premier reporter of the underside of capitalism.”

Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies uses an environmental/cultural/evolutionary perspective to explain how the West achieved its prominent global position. The book won the 1998 Pulitzer Prize and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for almost four years. PBS has produced a documentary on it. Crosby wrote in the Los Angeles Times that Diamond “is broadly erudite, writes in a style that pleasantly expresses scientific concepts in vernacular American English, and deals almost exclusively in questions that should interest everyone concerned about how humanity has developed.”

Prospective applicants to the competition might ask themselves: Are they writing for the same audiences as Fadiman, Ehrenreich and Diamond? Are they dealing with problems of broad import that others, beyond the academy, find of interest? Will their relatives and friends find their proposals absorbing?

SUBMISSION PROCESS:

Interested individuals should submit a 3-5,000 word overview of their proposed manuscript – detailing (a) the problem to be addressed, (b) the manner in which the problem will be approached, and (c) a summary of what each chapter will cover. The proposal should be written in a manner that non-academic readers find both interesting and thought-provoking.

We would discourage the submission of CV’s. A short summary of the author’s preparation for writing the book with any personal background deemed relevant to the project is sufficient.

NEW DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS MARCH 1, 2011

Submissions should be emailed to: bookseries@publicanthropology.org with the relevant material enclosed as attachments. They can also be sent to: Book Series, 707 Kaha Street, Kailua, HI. Questions regarding the competitions should be directed to Dr. Rob Borofsky at: bookseries@publicanthropology.org.

All entries will be judged by the Co-Editors of the California Series in Public Anthropology: Rob Borofsky (Center for a Public Anthropology & Hawaii Pacific University) and Naomi Schneider (University of California Press)

Native Artists Fellowship

The Indian Arts Research Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico seeks Native and First Nations artists to apply for its upcoming artist fellowships for 2011-2012. This includes a fourth new fellowship specifically geared toward writers. See attached press release for more information about the SAR Indigenous Writer-in-Residence Fellowship. Please forward this notice to any artists, list serves, and individuals who may be interested.

Next year, the Indian Arts Research Center (IARC) at the School for Advanced Research (SAR) will offer four artist-in-residence fellowships to advance the work of mature and emerging Native artists. Each fellowship includes a $3,000 monthly stipend, housing, studio space, supplies allowance, and travel reimbursement to and from SAR. These fellowships provide time for artists to explore new avenues of creativity, grapple with new ideas to further advance their work, and to strengthen existing talents. The fellowships support diverse creative disciplines and can include sculpture, performance, basketry, painting, printmaking, digital art, mixed media, photography, pottery, music, writing, and film.

Artist fellows must live on the SAR campus, complete a project resulting in the creation of one or more works, and make a public presentation at the end of their fellowship. While in residence, artists can access the IARC collection of Native arts for research and study. Additionally, SAR would like to see the fellow's work represented in the object, archives, or photo collection; therefore, the IARC request the donation of a single piece created while working at SAR. If selected for the fellowship, artists must agree to participate in interviews, photo sessions, video recordings, and exit interviews to document the fellow's process and progress. This information will be entered into the IARC archives to serve as a permanent public record. Deadline to apply is January 15, 2011.

This application cycle includes: the Ronald and Susan Dubin Native Artist Fellowship 2011, Rollin and Mary Ella King Native Artist Fellowship 2011, SAR Indigenous Writer-in-Residence Fellowship 2012, and Eric and Barbara Dobkin Native Artist Fellowship for Native Women 2012. To download the application, read the FAQ, or find out more about the fellowships, visit: http://artists.sarweb.org.

Completed applications must be postmarked no later than January 15, 2011. There are absolutely no exceptions to the date. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Any supplementary materials submitted will not be considered or returned. Notifications will be sent approximately four months after the application deadline. Questions may be directed to (505) 954-7205 or poon@sarsf.org.

British Languages 'Dying'

By Dr Mark Turin, director of the World Oral Literature Project, Cambridge University:

While scholars around the globe are attempting to document and preserve the diversity of human linguistic expressions, including here at Cambridge, more than 2,400 of these speech forms are endangered and will likely vanish without trace by the end of this century.

A sobering statistic: the Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger released by UNESCO in early 2009 claims that more than 2,400 of the over 6,500 languages spoken around the globe today are in danger of disappearing. These vanishing voices, more than a third of the world’s total living languages, can be ranked on a sliding scale from vulnerable to extinct. Many will cease to be used as communicative vernaculars in the next generation of speakers ... [read more here]

ASU Museum Coordinator Opening

Institution: Arizona State University
Location: Tempe, AZ
Category: Admin - Museum & Arts Administration

Posted: 12/08/2010
Type: Full Time

Job ID: 25670
Location: Tempe campus
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular

College/Division
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Scope of Search
Open to Public

Grant Funded Position
This is not a grant funded position and is not contingent on future grant funding.

Posted Rate of Pay
$32,000 - 36,900 per year; DOE

Duties and Responsibilities
The ASU Museum of Anthropology in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change is seeking an individual to coordinate vital public outreach and museum operations functions which promote the School's research and educational programs, particularly the museum studies program, which utilizes the museum as a learning laboratory.

The position is primarily responsible for helping build the museum's overall capacity through the development and management of an active volunteer/docent program; increasing the quantity and level of engagement of key audiences (particularly donors and friends), through events, media, print collateral, web content and direct contact; and providing general support to daily museum operations, exhibit planning, curatorial and installation teams.

The coordinator will take the lead on promotional efforts, logistics and staffing for a full calendar of exhibits, tours, receptions, workshops and initiatives, functioning simultaneously in public relations, events/operations management and exhibit curatorial/installation support roles. Additional responsibilities which this position either staffs or assigns to volunteers include areas such as project budget controls, attendance tracking, facility security, event scheduling, and maintaining the supply inventory and museum workshop.

This position reports to the Director of the Museum of Anthropology and works closely with the Director of the Museum Studies Program and the staff of the School of Human Evolution and Social Change. The position involves regular participation on creative and professional teams of faculty, students, curators and community collaborators focused on high impact goals across the organization. Standards for excellence include working effectively with limited resources, effective support and promotion of the School's research and instructional goals and providing meaningful involvement that fully engages students and key audiences.

The position will also assist in the recruitment, training, scheduling and supervision of student employees and be responsible for other duties as assigned.

DAYS AND SCHEDULE: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-5:00PM, to include some evenings and weekends.

Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in a field appropriate to the area of assignment and three (3) years of related experience; OR, Any equivalent combination of education and/or experience from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.

Desired Qualifications
Master's degree in anthropology, museum studies, nonprofit management, art history or related field.

Five (5) years professional outreach/educational program experience in museum or cultural/educational nonprofit setting

Volunteer/member/audience development experience

Professional communication experience (such as web content development, graphic design, public speaking, writing for the media)

Department Statement/Gen Info
Known for its leadership in innovative education and research, the ASU School of Human Evolution and Social Change is home to some of the nation's top-ranked anthropology programs and faculty. It builds on the chief strength of the field, its holistic, long-term perspective, reaching beyond the scope that traditionally defines the study of anthropology.

The School's Museum of Anthropology is a pivotal public showcase for its interdisciplinary research, a laboratory where students receive hands-on training both in museum anthropology and in new ways to understand and interpret our cultural histories, and a venue where the local community can engage in integral ways. In addition to ongoing exhibitions, the museum organizes public programs including gallery talks, educational workshops, symposiums, round table discussions, film viewings, and tours.

The School offers a dynamic and challenging work environment due to the pace of innovation, complex array of research and academic programs, and high profile initiatives. It is the largest social science unit in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, ASU's largest and most diverse college. For complete information see http://www.asu.edu/shesc

Background Check Statement
ASU conducts pre-employment screening for all positions which includes a criminal background check, verification of work history, academic credentials, licenses, and certifications.

Standard Statement
Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU serves more than 70,000 students in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, the nation's fifth largest city. ASU champions intellectual and cultural diversity, and welcomes students from all fifty states and more than one hundred nations across the globe.

Arizona State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

Close Date
December 30, 2010

Instructions to Apply
Application deadline is 11:59pm Arizona time on the day indicated.

Complete the required information by attaching a single document, which includes: a cover letter, resume, and the names, addresses and phone numbers of three professional references. Please include all employment in month/year format (e.g., 6/88 to 8/94), job title, job duties and name of employer for each position. Resume should clearly illustrate how prior knowledge and experience meets the Minimum and Desired qualifications of this position.

REQUESTED MATERIAL MUST BE IN ONE ATTACHMENT.

Only electronic applications are accepted for this position. If you need assistance applying for this job, please contact our customer service center at 480-965-2701.

ASU does not pay candidates for travel expenses associated with interviewing, unless otherwise indicated by the department at the time of call for interview.
Application Information
Contact: Arizona State University
Online App. Form: https://ep.oasis.asu.edu/psp/asuepprd/EMPLOYEE/PSFT_ASUSAPRD/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS _CE.GBL?Page=HRS_CE_JOB_DTL&Action=A&JobOpeningId=25670

Curatorial Director Opening

San Diego Museum of Man
Job Title: Curatorial Director
Department: Collections, Physical Anthropology, Scientific Library Date: December, 2010
Position Status: Full-time FLSA Status: Exempt

General Statement: The Curatorial Director is the senior manager responsible for 1) the anthropological collections department including physical, ethnographic, archaeological, and library, and 2) the staff who care for those collections. The Curatorial Director must adhere to rigorous standards of scholarship and collection stewardship, contribute to fundraising efforts to support the collections, and serve as an ambassador for SDMoM in the San Diego community and beyond. The Curatorial Director also serves as a curator with a specific research specialty drawing upon the strength of the SDMoM’s collections (South American collections, Latin American collections, North American collections, Southwest American Indian collections, California collections, Egyptian collections, and/or Archaeological collections).

Reports to: Executive Director and works in close collaboration with leadership team.

Primary duties and responsibilities: Lead the development and implementation of a long-term strategy for the storage and access of all of SDMoM’s collections, including environmental, compact storage, cost, handling, staffing, and accessibility considerations. Ensure that all collections stewardship policies and procedures are in accordance with industry standards and benchmarks. Serve as an ambassador/liaison with to the San Diego community and beyond, including the academic community, to promote support and collaboration. Promote SDMoM to professional organizations nationally via presentations. Develop, prioritize, and coordinate objectives, deliverables, and timeframes for all department activities to stabilize and document SDMoM’s collections. Actively engage in SDMoM’s grant proposal process, including identification of priorities and helping to write successful proposals, to ensure that future needs are met. Manage all grants awarded to department. Develop and manage the annual budget of the department. Manage all departmental staff including hiring and performance evaluations. Perform research to further develop the knowledge base about the collections which fall under his/her research specialty. Take the lead in curating exhibits which fall under his/her research specialty. Oversee rights and reproductions surrounding the publication of information about SDMoM artifacts and collections. Publish annually on SDMoM materials related to cultural anthropology and/or archaeology. In coordination with the Registrar, assess potential donations from individuals to build the collection. Keep current on legislation concerning the repatriation of artifacts and human remains.

Experience, education, or skills required: Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology or Archaeology. At least 5 years of collections experience and 5 years management experience in an AAM accredited museum. Experience in collections-oriented research. Knowledge of museology and curation techniques; i.e., a comprehensive understanding of and experience in professional museum practices and procedures. Experience in management, documentation, digitization, care, and conservation of anthropological collections. Experience curating exhibits. Project management experience and ability to work in team environment. Computer skills, including familiarity with museum management software Excellent written and oral communication skills for academic, business and educational audiences Public speaking and teaching ability. Proven fundraising successes, including grant-writing, a plus.

Compensation: Competitive salary commensurate with experience. Position is eligible for full benefits.

Interested candidates should contact SDMoM’s CFO, MaryAnn Brooks-Gonyer at mbrooksgonyer@museumofman.org.

Director Opening

Director of the Museum, Denison University

Lead and manage the Denison Museum and promote its mission through the educational use and access of its collection of cultural heritage. The Director works closely with the Curator of Collections, the Assistant to the Director, relevant faculty and scholars, and the Museum Board. The Director will oversee the Museums budget and actively work to strengthen the collection and its documentation, as well as develop and secure thought provoking exhibitions and programming. The Director is also responsible for developing strategies and policies to contribute to the success of the Museum and its educational importance at Denison University and the surrounding community."

The Denison Museum's permanent collection comprises nearly 8,000 objects from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas in a wide variety of media including textiles, stone, wood, paper, lacquer, metal, ivory, and oils. The Denison Museum has significant holdings from Burma (Myanmar), from the Kuna culture of the San Blas Islands in Panama, and 19th and 20th century European and American works of art on paper. The Director will work closely with the Curator of Collections to maintain the preservation initiatives at the Museum while ensuring that the material in its collection are held legally and ethically in the public's trust. Position requires a Master of Arts degree in Museum Studies or related discipline and five years of relevant experience.

Denison is a highly selective residential liberal arts college of 2000 students located in central Ohio 25 miles east of Columbus. Denison University is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. To achieve our mission as a liberal arts college, we continually strive to foster a diverse campus community, which recognizes the value of all persons regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or socio-economic background. Candidates should apply on-line https://employment.denison.edu by January 7, 2011.

MA in Museum Studies or relevant discipline with a focus in the art, anthropology, or archaeology of Asia. A minimum of five years of relevant experience. Able to bring enthusiasm and creativity to the Museum with a clearly defined vision for future success. Expertise will include experience in organizing and presenting exhibitions; the ability to help faculty integrate the use of the collections into the teaching curriculum; experience with museum education and outreach; the ability to maintain good relationships with collectors, donors, and the general public; strong organizational and oral and written communication skills; and experience with grant writing and project and budget management. A high degree of organization with strong multi-tasking and problem solving skills. Work with little supervision, as well as have the ability to plan projects independently and bring them to conclusion on a timely basis.

Director Opening

Northern Illinois University invites applications for an anticipated opening for a Director of the newly renovated Anthropology Museum scheduled to open in August, 2011.

The Director of the Anthropology Museum will have an excellent opportunity to develop a vision for the future that includes strategic planning for expansion in a new facility. The museum will have a newly renovated exhibition gallery and collections storage rooms with a new HVAC system. The Museum recently accomplished IMAP (2010) and CAP (2009) with a view toward accreditation. This is a non-tenure track position requiring at least a Masters in anthropology, a four subfields outlook, and a minimum three years, five years preferred, of museum experience. Candidates should have experience and familiarity with all aspects of museum operations, including collections management, exhibit design and construction, fundraising, grant writing, and museum outreach. The Director should be comfortable using museum collections databases (PastPerfect). The Director teaches a minimum of one course per year as part of the Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies. The museum curates a collection of 12,000 ethnographic and archaeological artifacts with strengths in Southeast Asia, North America, New Guinea, Mesoamerica and Africa. Over 50% of the collection is linked to NIU’s Southeast Asian Studies Center, a U.S. Dept of Education Title VI National Resource Center.

Salary is commensurate with experience. Position is available Spring 2011. Send letter of interest, vita, and the names of three references to: Museum Search Committee, Department of Anthropology, Stevens Building, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115-2854. Initial review will begin February 1, 2011 and will continue until the position is filled. NIU is an AA/EEO institution.

Director Opening

Director, Joseph Moore Museum of Natural History, Earlham College

The Joseph Moore Museum at Earlham College invites applications for Director, a full-time endowed tenure-track academic/administrative position starting in July 2011. The Director's responsibilities include managing the museum's collections, raising funds for continuous museum improvements, maintaining an active research career involving undergraduates, supervising student workers at the museum, teaching one course per year, and providing educational experiences for students both on campus and in the Richmond community.

A PhD in a natural history related field (e.g. Anthropology, Astronomy, Biology, or Geology) and postdoctoral experience, especially in a museum environment, is preferred, although ABD candidates will be considered. Although no previous museum experience is required, the strongest applicants will have experience in curating a natural history museum, including management of collections, staff, and external funds. Administrative management experience, a proven ability to manage budgets, and proven fundraising ability are also desirable. Because of the museum's position in a small liberal arts setting, strong candidates will also have a history of effective teaching and a passion for science education and outreach. Women, underrepresented minorities and Quakers are especially encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates should send curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching philosophy, and a statement of research interests that includes a vision for the museum and undergraduate training, along with the full contact information of at least three references electronically to Dr. Andrew Moore (moorean@earlham.edu). Paper copies may also be sent to Dr. Moore at the Department of Geosciences, Earlham College, 801 National Rd. West, Richmond, IN 47374, (765) 983-1672. Review of completed applications will begin December 15th and continue until the position is filled. For expanded information, please visit Earlham's jobs page at http://www.earlham.edu/jobs.

New Milwaukee Public Museum Director

With his banker's eye for detail, Jay B. Williams is looking first to fix the little things at the Milwaukee Public Museum.

Williams, the former PrivateBank executive who took over as president of the 126-year-old institution in July, has insisted on tidying up the museum grounds, spiffing up the interior and making sure all the exhibits' parts work perfectly.

Little things are important to get right, he says. That's why museum employees who greet the public must wear light blue dress shirts with a museum logo. And it's why signage and lighting of exhibits have been improved. [Read more here]

2011 Roy Chapman Andrews Society Distinguished Explorer Award

Congratulations to Steve Lekson -- who recently contributed an essay to Museum Anthropology, vol. 33, n. 1!

BELOIT (WIFR) -- Archaeologist Steve Lekson is changing the past, or at least our ideas about the past. His work at prehistoric ruins throughout the Southwest convinces him that ancient Native American societies were more complex, connected, and cosmopolitan than the average textbook leads us to believe.

Dr. Lekson, a professor and curator of anthropology at the University of Colorado, will discuss his explorations, discoveries, and controversial ideas when he receives the 2011 Roy Chapman Andrews Society Distinguished Explorer Award. The award and acceptance lecture, “The Rhythm of Regional Interaction in the Ancient Southwest,” will be presented in a public ceremony on Friday, February 4, at 4:30 p.m. in Eaton Chapel on the Beloit College campus in Beloit, Wisconsin ... [read more here]

SAA Scholarships Reminder

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NATIVE PEOPLES FROM THE AMERICAS AND PACIFIC ISLANDS

The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) is pleased to announce the following 2011 scholarships opportunities:

 SAA Native American Graduate Archaeology Scholarship
To support graduate studies for Native American students, including but not limited to tuition, travel, food, housing, books, supplies, equipment, and child care (up to $10,000).

 SAA Native American Undergraduate Archaeology Scholarship
To support undergraduate studies for Native American students, including but not limited to tuition, travel, food, housing, books, supplies, equipment, and child care (up to $5,000).

 SAA Arthur C. Parker Scholarship or NSF Scholarship for Archaeological Training
To support archaeological training or a research program for Native American students or employees of tribal cultural preservation programs (up to $4,000).

These scholarships are intended for current students—high school seniors, college undergraduates, and graduate students—and personnel of Tribal or other Native cultural preservation programs. High school students must be currently enrolled as seniors to be eligible. Undergraduates and graduate students must be enrolled in an accredited college or university. These scholarships are open to all Native peoples from anywhere in the Americas, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Indigenous Pacific Islanders.

The SAA Arthur C. Parker Scholarship is named in honor of the first SAA President, who served from 1935 to 1936. Parker was of Seneca ancestry through his father’s family, and he spent his youth on the Cattaraugus Reservation in New York. The NSF Scholarships for Archaeological Training for Native Americans and Native Hawaiians are made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation to the SAA.

Submission and Deadline Procedures

The application form is available online at: www.saa.org/scholarships. The complete application must be received by DECEMBER 15.

If you have questions about these scholarships or you need help with locating a field school or other training program, please contact the Society for American Archaeology at: telephone +1 (202) 789-8200; fax +1 (202) 789-0284; or email nasf@saa.org. Your questions will be relayed to someone who can assist you.

Social Sciences and Human Decency

An interesting article on the recent dialogue about the AAA code of ethics, including a quote from our own Council for Museum Anthropology President, Alex Barker:

A researcher doing fieldwork in the southwestern U.S. happened upon something close to the anthropological Holy Grail: a small group of Native Americans who had never been exhaustively studied.

While master's-level research conducted decades ago had made some inroads with the group, this work reflected the long-held, and mistaken, view that this group was the same as another, larger one nearby. Not so. The researcher amassed a trove of ethnographic notes and could see that the group's distinctive culture was rapidly disappearing after waves of westernization. She (the gender of the researcher is not clear in the anonymous account, but Inside Higher Ed had to pick a pronoun) hoped her scholarship would preserve the record of a civilization that was about to vanish.

But, then, a hitch emerged: the group objected strongly to her publishing an account of certain beliefs and practices -- how they worshiped and related to the supernatural -- because they said such things do not rightly belong to non-natives.

[Read more here]