Justin Shaffner

King's College
Cambridge CB2 1ST
United Kingdom

Email: jrs71@cam.ac.uk

Introduction

I am currently a Ph.D. candidate in Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge (2005 - Present). I previously studied anthropology and philosophy at the University of Virginia (B.A. 2003).

Research Interests

Kamok-anim: the cosmopolitics of being 'human' in the southern lowlands of New Guinea

My research investigates the contemporary political economy of the southern lowlands of New Guinea. I conducted 18 months of fieldwork (Sept 2006 - April 2008) with Boazi speakers living in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea. My dissertation focuses on the experiences of community leaders as they attempt to elicit and maintain productive relations across various global alliances, from regional ritual networks to relations with transnational corporations, NGOs and the state.

Projects

  • The Melanesian - Co-founded in May 2008 with Andrew Moutu, the Melanesian is an editorial news site and community of critics committed to a serious engagement with issues affecting peoples living in the Pacific such as the environment, health, politics, rule of law and human rights, and sovereignty.
  • OAC Press - Co-founded in October 2009 with Keith Hart, the OAC Press is the publishing arm of Open Anthropology Cooperative. We solicit a wide range of writings that in some way seek to advance anthropology by engaging with radical ideas in innovative ways.
  • Technologies of Research - Co-founded in 2009 with Irene Peano, this wiki acts as a forum to document the use of digital media for ethnographic research purposes, including capturing, categorizing, managing and analyzing data in various text and multimedia formats.