While Occupy camps have been dismantled worldwide, their effect is likely far from over. For teachers of IB Anthropology, the phenomenon of ‘Occupiers’ can also act as a catalyst for classroom discussions in regards to both anthropological theory and current events.
For example, much of the discourse around the Occupy camps has centered on notions of inequality: exploring issues of inequality has always been central to anthropological studies. For any teacher emphasizing theories of political economy and globalization, the Occupy phenomenon can provide excellent material with which to work. An interesting starting point is to look at the impact of anthropologist David Graeber on Occupy Wall Street camp in Zucotti Park. Graeber’s wrok has been celebrated bu both anthropologists and non-anthropologists, his book Debt: the first 5000 years being particularly noted. According to Businessweek, “Graeber was a key member of a small band of activists who quietly planned, then noisily carried out, the occupation of Lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park, providing the focal point for what has grown into an amorphous global movement known as Occupy Wall Street.” Democracy Now also interviewed Graeber about his role as an organizer. Graeber himself recently wrote an article about Occupy Wall Street in the Guardian. Graeber, and his role in Occupy Wall Street, can lend itself to an interesting discussion of both his theories and the role of anthropologists outside of the university setting, as both activists and educators.
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