Using the total solar eclipse I just witnessed as starting point, my column today reflects on the ways in which eclipses have participated in human history including in the Philippines:

Total solar eclipse in Quebec - what an incredible sight!

Looking forward to this discussion!

My column today reflects on Broadway shows like 'Here Lies Love' what they mean for representation and justice:

Earth Hour has faced a lot of criticisms since its inception, but some local environmentalists have a more supportive view. My column today on the need, in the words of WWF, 'to take action beyond the hour':

Dr. Gia Sison -a dear colleague- was a gifted communicator and mental health advocate who offered her life's struggles, joys, and wisdom to comfort and inspire countless Filipinos.

I am deeply saddened by the news of her passing and send my condolences to her loved ones.

For the Love of Cats in Turkey, an excellent piece by Gideon Lasco — “On a visit to feline-friendly Turkey, an anthropologist considers what long-standing practices of caring for cats reveal about human societies.”

sapiens.org/culture/cat-hu…

My column today uses Kate Middleton's Mother's Day photo - and its ensuing retraction - as a case study of how photography is perceived, practiced, processed, and performed during our time:

We need a government that stops environmental violations from happening in the first place, instead of only acting when something goes viral - and when the damage is already done.

In this essay in my SAPIENS column, I offer anthropological insights on the bond between humans and cats in Turkey.
sapiens.org/culture/cat-hu…

“What makes cats especially loved in Turkey, and what can we learn from this special relationship?”

On a visit to feline-friendly Turkey, Gideon Lasco considers what long-standing practices of caring for #cats reveal about human societies. loom.ly/gLNSZ-U

My column today continues an imaginary conversation about politics in the Philippines, particularly the role of social media and technology in activism:

Do you conduct/consume #drugpolicy research?

Have a favorite study published in the past 3 years that has made a substantial contribution?

Pls consider nominating it for the ISSDP Excellence in Research 🏆

Noms due Mar 31➡️issdp.org/the-issdp-exce…

Spread the word! Thx

IV drip, glutathione, vitamin C, skin whitening, senators, celebrities, ethics, politics: My column today offers some anthropological reflections on Mariel Padilla's 'drip session' in the Senate:

Congratulations to UP Press for all the books that were launched this week, as well as all the authors! Looking forward to reading them!

The recent landslide in Masara, Davao de Oro is a grim reminder of the slow violence of mining. Now more than ever, we need to echo the voices of those who are resisting the exploitation and extraction of our precarious ecosystems and vulnerable communities. My column today:

The fatal landslide in Davao de Oro is yet another example of the 'slow violence' of mining in Mindanao, and how it has brought death and destruction instead of wealth and development.

Mining companies and the politicians that enable their exploitation must be held accountable.

'The more serious critique, however, is how grades have gotten in the way of learning itself.'

My column today reflects on the phenomenon of grade inflation and why the problem may lie in the very way we measure academic performance:

Remember him not for his longevity but for his impunity.

Rice and root crops weren't our only native staple carbs. Sago--not the boba but the flour from the trunk of certain palms--was a dependable food source (esp during famines), a tradestuff, and was served at chiefly banquets. Sago palms appear in Mindanao epics...