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"I think the most interesting thing about my work is when I'm out in the field doing research and our American ways start to look like the odd ones," says Juliana Flinn, a cultural anthropologist and professor.

For instance, North American traditions seemed strange when she was doing research on Micronesians in the Pacific. In Micronesia, attitudes toward adoption are very different than Western ones.

"A woman said to me, 'Juliana, if you had 10 kids and your sister didn't have any at all, you wouldn't share your kids with her?' In North America, I'd be a bad mother if I had my sister adopt some of my kids, but to Micronesians I'd be very selfish," she explains.

The Micronesians also have a different attitude towards their parents. "These people felt we are quite cruel to our parents -- leaving them when we get married, leaving them alone to fend for themselves, after everything they've done for us."

While Flinn has always been interested in other people's thinking, her love of culture was made stronger by traveling. "I knew I was interested in the way people lived in other places," she says. "I was especially interested in the Pacific Islands, perhaps because of reading the novel Mutiny on the Bounty."

During high school, Flinn traveled to France, and then went to Micronesia as a member of the Peace Corps. She even had a pen pal in Tonga.

"When I was living in France, I became even more interested in learning about other cultures. I wanted the chance to live another way of life, rather than just experiencing it as a tourist."

There was a name for this interest -- anthropology. She enrolled in college and majored in the field. "The biggest attraction was experiencing another way of life first-hand, over a period of time."

Those early courses were just the beginning for Flinn, who now has her PhD in cultural anthropology. It took almost 10 years to gain her PhD, but for Flinn it was a labor of love. "I love having the opportunity to live with people very different from me, getting to know them and learning other ways of looking at the world," she explains.

Now finished her degree, Flinn spends most of her time in the classroom teaching students. As much as she loves teaching, she wishes she had more opportunities to travel to Micronesia to continue her research. "I've been back to Micronesia four times since I received my PhD, but I've only been able to go during the summer months when I'm not teaching. Ideally, I'd like to be gone for a year or so."

Flinn says that fieldwork is important partly because her experience with other cultures rubs off on what she teaches her students. "I feel as though I help people become more tolerant, sensitive and open-minded," she says. "I especially like teaching students here, many of whom have little experience with different people. I have a chance to have an impact."

While Flinn tries to change the world by educating students, Bruce Miller is one anthropologist who directly changes the lives of native people. Miller, an associate professor, has testified in court cases on native issues.

"One time, I was testifying in a case about a spirit questing site -- a sacred site. There was evidence of stone tool making at the site. This was a place where people would come to get spirit powers, where non-human beings could have relations with humans. The natives saw it as degrading when someone wanted to take some gravel from the area. I had to testify as to why they shouldn't blow the site up."

Unfortunately, Miller's story doesn't have a happy ending. "That was a long, horrifying story. We lost the case. It was really very sad," he remembers.

Many of Miller's court cases involve intense research and long court battles. "One case I spent nine years working on. I was helping to defend treaty rights to shellfishing. The state was [stopping] them from shellfishing -- a right they had earned under a treaty of 1855. We won that case."

Miller insists that his work is only one part of what he believes is a struggle for justice. Still, he continues to help natives with their treaty rights because he says Western society should keep the promises it makes. "For me, democracy depends on dominant society -- that's our society -- holding on our word. Social justice depends on us doing things right. That is why I go to court. We cannot live in justice if we treat others with injustice -- it corrupts our society," he says.

While Flinn travels to Micronesia for her fieldwork, Miller steps out his front door. "Right here...there are people whose way of understanding the universe is different than mine. That can be just as rich an experience as going to central Africa or Asia."

Miller believes that the city he lives in is a better place because of its variety of cultures. "It's important that we have this cultural diversity because societies tend to narrow their own focus and limit their viewpoint. There is great beauty in the ideas of others."

As a professor, Miller tries to explain these ideas to his students. But he doesn't limit his teaching to the classroom. Native culture is something Miller wants to share with his children. "I've taken my kids to winter spirit dancing. This is where people gather together in the wintertime with spirit powers because it is an important time of year. The dancers are wearing particular costumes and paints."

What did his children think of winter spirit dancing? "They were well tuned in to it," says Miller. "They think a lot about the idea of spirits and the universe. It is part of the regular discussion in our house." Miller feels his children and students aren't the only ones who need to be exposed to other cultures.

He is one anthropologist who would like to see more people interested in the subject. "We need people who are willing to spend time with members of other communities. It is a real gift to know the ideas of those whose view of the universe is different than our own."