Navigating Crises of Scale in the Anthropocene: A Note to Engaged Anthropologists

An article by Dr. Mark Nichter (SoA Professor) and Gauri Pathak, “Navigating Crises of Scale in the Anthropocene: A Note to Engaged Anthropologists” was published in Anthropology of Action. You can download the paper from this link: https://mcusercontent.com/5b220b17bbd3252a0165514fb/files/2e3f548b-c492-22fe-75af-721eef3eafb6/Navigating_Crises_of_Scale_in_the_Anthropocene_1_.pdf.

Abstract: In our contemporary era, anthropologists are increasingly tasked with studying
crises of scale—that is, studying issues related to existential threats such as ecological degradation, inequality, and suffering amid landscapes of uncertainty. Such work takes an emotional
toll that is rarely acknowledged in anthropological literature. In this article, using our work
on plastics as a lens, we ask what anthropologists have to offer that is of real problem-solving
value and how they can sustain their resilience during such engagement. We proffer a stance
that we term ‘pragmatic melioration’, which focuses on harm reduction and problem solving
(albeit imperfect) in the messiness of the here-and-now, and speak to how such a stance has
helped us stay motivated despite reflexive distress.