Are you fascinated by different cultures? Curious about human evolution? Enjoy people watching, and looking for a broad, exciting degree? Then, why not come to the London Anthropology Day and get a taste of what it means to study Anthropology!

About the event:

Running for its fifth year, the RAI in association with the British Museum (BM) organises an annual London Anthropology Day, held at BM’s Clore Centre. The event is a free university taster day, aimed at giving participants an understanding of what Anthropology is, what it means to study the discipline, and an opportunity to actively engage in the work that some Anthropologists do. On the day, participants will take part in interactive workshops run by anthropology lecturers from 17 universities from England, Ireland and Wales. Participants will also be able to interact with current Anthropology students, find out how to apply for an Anthropology degree, and learn about careers within Anthropology.

Who is the event for?

Due to limited seating, the event is primarily for Yr.12/13 and FE students, teachers, career advisors, and Aim Higher coordinators. This year we have an exclusive workshop for teachers and non-student participants, which will be given by Sarah Longlair from the British Museum, in conjunction with the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA). If you are not part of the participating groups mentioned above, but would still like to attend the event, please contact the RAI’s Education Officer, Nafisa Fera at: education@therai.org.uk

How do I find out more information and book a free place?

To book a free place for the event, as well as find out more information about the day, including pictures and films from past events, links to participating universities, and recommended readings go to our affiliated website: www.londonanthropologyday.co.uk

Our Education Programme

The Royal Anthropological Institute’s Education programme Discover Anthropology has been set up to develop actions and strategies to inform teachers and young people about anthropology as a university subject, and to bring the subject more generally into pre-university education. Anthropology, the study of what it means to be human across different societies, cultures and histories, is not currently taught in schools and colleges in the UK and compared to other social sciences anthropology undergraduate degrees attract fewer students from widening participation target groups. Yet the discipline of anthropology has a distinctive, and vital, contribution to make to understanding the world today. Anthropology offers a deep understanding of how different societies work, how people live, what are their beliefs, customs, ideas, prejudices and aspirations. In an era when global understanding and recognition of diverse ways of seeing the world are of critical social, political and economic importance, anthropology has a central role to play in education.

“Anthropology is concerned with the whole of life and is not just something you do until 6 o’clock. The study of anthropology encourages you to have a new kind of consciousness of life; it is a way of looking at the world and in that sense it is a way of living,” Anthropologist David Pocock, Discovering Anthropology: a resource guide. The electronic version of Discovering Anthropology is available free on-line here.

The Discover Anthropology education programme aims to 1) provide good quality accessible information for students considering studying anthropology at university 2) to create a series of regular events and activities for young people and teachers and 3) produce resources for teachers that draw upon the insights of anthropology. The programme will be represented by a dedicated website shortly. From 2005-2006 the programme was funded through the AimHigher National Activity programme. From 2007-2010 the programme will be funded by the Economics and Social Research Council.

Contact Nafisa Fera, Education Officer, for more details: , +44 (0)20 7387 0455.

Publications

The Royal Anthropological Institute, the National Network for Teaching and Learning, and the University of Durham worked collaboratively on Discovering Anthropology. It is an essential resource for anyone interested in anthropology.

The electronic version of Discovering Anthropology is available free on-line here.

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