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>
> As part of the ESRC’s festival of Social Science the Royal  
> Anthropological Institute (RAI) is running a series of outreach  
> activities in collaboration with various partners, looking at the  
> connections between people, plants and food. The events are open to  
> everyone. Details of the two events and film screenings are found  
> below, as well as in the attached publicity material. The events are  
> free but booking is required. To book a free place email: [log in to unmask] 
>  or phone: 020 7387 0455.
>
> Details of the events:
>
> THE SOCIAL LIFE OF PLANTS Saturday 7th March 11:00am-4:00pm,at the  
> Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey,  
> TW9-3AB.
> This is a daytime event where anthropologists and ethnobotanists  
> will demonstrate the (often overlooked) interconnections between the  
> lives of plants and people. Through films, talks, hands-on learning  
> activities and exhibitions, participants will explore how plants  
> affect the lives of individuals around the world, in medicine, food,  
> materials, and rituals. The event will form part of Kew's 250  
> anniversary highlighting its Breathing Life Programme, as well as  
> forming part of the International Year of Natural Fibres. Topical  
> concerns such as conservation, climate change, biodiversity and  
> complimentary medicine will be explored through collaborative  
> research being undertaken by Kew and the University of Kent.
>
>
> EXPLORING FOOD, CONNECTING COMMUNITIES Sunday 8th March  
> 10:30am-4:30pm, at the Clore Centre British Museum, Great Russell  
> St.London, WC1B 3DG.
> This event aims to raise public awareness of local food projects  
> within the UK and abroad, and foster future collaboration between  
> associated groups of individuals. Presentations given by  
> anthropologists, journalists, and organisations such as Sustain, The  
> Soil Association, and Slow FoodUK will accompany information stalls,  
> and hands-on learning activities. A central theme of the event will  
> be to explore how the International Slow Food Movement has inspired  
> local food projects and the ways in which the movement’s ideas of  
> local, sustainable food production have been adapted to suit  
> different community needs. The event aims to address questions such  
> as: How have food projects and healthy eating/cooking campaigns  
> helped to generate awareness and shift consumer attitudes? What are  
> some of the difficulties faced by farmers and others involved in  
> food production? How can we address concerns regarding accessibility  
> and affordability? What are some of the problems with our current  
> food production system?
>
>
> UPSTAIRS@THE RAI FILM SCREENINGS: PEOPLE, PLANTS, FOOD AND FILM (9th  
> March- 11th March)
>
> Following the two outreach days on the first weekend of March, there  
> will be a series of film screenings and discussion evenings that  
> follow up on the subjects of people, plants and food. These  
> screenings will take place at the screening room in the Royal  
> Anthropological Institute
>
> Monday 9th March: 6:30-8:30pm
> Uncle Poison (1998) Ricardo Leizaola, 60 mins;
>
> followed by a Q&A  with the filmmaker
> Filmed in the city of Caracas, capital of Venezuela, Uncle Poison is  
> an intimate portrayal of a traditional faith healer, set against the  
> backdrop of his community's Easter celebrations. Every day Benito  
> Reyes receives people at his house looking for all sorts of cures.  
> Through the personal testimony of the healer, this documentary looks  
> at his role as a mediator between the social, natural and spiritual  
> worlds.
>
> Tuesday 10th March: 6:30- 8:30 pm
> Betelnut Bisnis (2004) Chris Owen, 52 min
> Q&A session with Eric Hirsch (Head of Department of Anthropology) at  
> Brunel University
> Betelnut is one of the most widely used narcotics in the world. Many  
> families living in coastal areas of Papua New Guinea, where it is  
> grown, have come to depend on betel nut for their livelihood  
> (trading small quantities of the nut up form the coast to sell in  
> their local markets) as well as feeding their addiction to the drug  
> itself. For many, the betel nut trade is the only source of cash  
> income to pay for basic needs such as food, school fees and  
> medicine. This is a story of one such family -Lukas Kaima and his  
> wife Kopu-as told by their friend and close neighbour, Chris Owen,  
> an Australian expatriate.
>
> Wednesday 11th March: 6:30-8:30pm
> Two student films:
>
> The Land on which we Stand (2007) Rebecca Payne, 31 min; Granada  
> Centre for Visual Anthropology, Manchester University
> This film gives us a glimpse into the life of the Landmatters Co- 
> operative, a community of 11 adults and 4 children living in benders  
> and yurts in rural Devon as they develop a permaculture project.  
> Although the group own the 42 acres of land, it was originally  
> bought for agricultural purposes and they do not have planning  
> permission to use it for residential purposes. The film follows the  
> group as they fight for permission to live on the land in order to  
> create a self-reliant way of living that doesn't depend on fossil  
> fuels.
>
> No Such Thing as a Free Lunch (2008) Tate LeFevre, 18 min; New York  
> University
> How can a radical activist movement based on limited participation  
> in the capitalist system use the mainstream media to further its  
> goals? This film follows members of the Freegan movement in New York  
> City as they dumpster dive, cook feasts with salvaged food and give  
> interview to Oprah-all while managing their own difficult  
> relationship with the media and each other.
>
> It would be fantastic to see all of you at the events, and we look  
> forward to hearing from you soon. I would be very grateful if you  
> could disseminate the information to any friends, colleagues, or  
> students whom you think might be interested in attending the days.
>
> Thank you very much,
>
> Kind Regards,
> Nafisa Fera
>
> Nafisa Fera
> Education Officer
> Royal Anthropological Institute
> 50 Fitzroy St.
> London
> Tel: +44 (0) 20 7387 0455
> Fax: +44 (0) 207388 8817
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> .
>





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