Information

Anthropology of Roads

Paths, trails, roads, highways, motorways...Various kinds of roads dominate human landscapes.This group is for these anthropologists who have roads as parts of their ethnographic sites

Members: 31
Latest Activity: Jun 16, 2016

Discussion Forum

Roads and Anthropology

Roads and Anthropology Special Issue of Mobilities Edited by D. Dalakoglou & P. HarveyRoads elicit powerful temporal imaginaries, holding out  the promise (or threat) of future connectivity,…Continue

Started by Dimitris Dalakoglou Sep 14, 2012.

Markings *on* Roads

Adding my photos of what I call the "Palo Alto Urban Petroglyph Project." I'm sure there will be differing opinions as to whether or not these are true petroglyphs, but I found them all along one…Continue

Started by sally applin Jul 5, 2010.

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of Anthropology of Roads to add comments!

Comment by Dimitris Dalakoglou on June 16, 2016 at 10:35pm
Comment by Dimitris Dalakoglou on February 10, 2016 at 3:19pm

EASA Panel on Roads

The winding roads: infrastructures and technologies of (im)mobility

Location [TBD]
Date and Start Time [TBD] at [TBD]

Convenors

Dan Podjed (Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU)) email
Dimitris Dalakoglou (Vrije University Amsterdam) email
Mail All Convenors

Short Abstract

How do we develop and use transport technologies and design the infrastructure? How did we plan, understand, and interpret roads and routes? And how will we travel and make the technologies of mobility (and immobility) in the future?

Long Abstract

Spatial mobility is an essential part of human existence in the world that has determinant role in shaping human society and culture. The technologies and infrastructures of spacial mobility change over history radically causing a metamorphosis on social organisation and cultural formations. Given the large population flows that still going on e.g. around the Mediterranean basin and which employ some of the most primordial techniques of mobility (e.g. walking) or e.g. the more common but massive phenomenon of commuting from increasingly larger distances on daily basis; questions around the future of techniques and technologies of mobility are posed anew. How do we develop and use transport technologies and design the infrastructure? How did we plan, understand, and interpret roads and routes in the past? And how will we travel and make the technologies of mobility (and immobility) in the future? These are some of the questions of the panel, focused on legacies and futures of transportation, infrastructures and mobility. In this panel we are looking for ethnographic examples and theoretical explanations about the modes of travel and types of infrastructure and what they can tell us about people and their practices.

http://nomadit.co.uk/easa/easa2016/panels.php5?PanelID=4348 

Comment by Liam Starkey on December 19, 2014 at 4:48am
The anthropology of roads interests me partly because I had a university lecturer (Penny Harvey at University of Manchester) who I think studied road building in Peru with both present and past dimensions.

My mothers father, an immigrant from Ireland in the 1950s helped build (amongst other things) the M62 motorway, known as England's highest Mororway which links Hull and Leeds with Manchester and Liverpool (link to BBC docco about Irish immigration in pits war UK http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b046l696)

I think quite transparently the whole concept of line making and joining centres of economic activity is powerful and politically important, that's why the Romans apparently loved it.
Comment by Johannes Castner on October 17, 2011 at 8:45pm
I am currently mapping (re-tracing) the construction of the Zambian road network from the early 1970s to now, using satellite images, GIS and remote sensing. I want to then connect this data with information about how these roads were built, i.e. information about the lives and careers of the workers and contractors who were involved in the manifestation of these roads and with information about the lives that were changed by the existence of the finished roads. If anyone has any ideas about how such information might be creatively found, or if anyone wants to collaborate with me, please collaborate and share your thoughts with me!
Comment by sally applin on July 5, 2010 at 7:11pm
Adding my photos of what I call the "Palo Alto Urban Petroglyph Project." I'm sure there will be differing opinions as to whether or not these are true petroglyphs, but I found them all along one single road in Palo Alto. They clearly weren't all made to repair road cracks. You can find some of my images here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23526605@N00/sets/72157594241400279/
 

Members (28)

 
 
 

Translate

OAC Press

@OpenAnthCoop

Events

© 2019   Created by Keith Hart.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service