July 5, 2012

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Happy Blogiversary! Ladybusiness Anthropology Wears Many Hats

By Kate Clancy

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

I wear a few different hats in the science blogosphere:

Clockwise from bottom yellow hat (because that one is so obviously a feminist hat): Angry Feminist, Unpacker of Bad Science, Metablogger on Academic Life, Science Blogger to a Broad Audience, Science Blogger to My Anthropology Peeps. The remaining hats will have to be worn by someone else.

So, I don't always know why you are here, which of these hats you prefer I wear, and whether you are a drive-by or returning reader, I am asking you to delurk today on our network's blogiversary to answer and do the following (inspired by Ed Yong and Drugmonkey, and suggested by the Blogfather):

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1) Who are you? I mean your background, interests - why are you reading a science blog right now when you could be doing something else, like trying on fun hats?

2) What is it about this blog that brought you here? Do you use these posts in any specific way (i.e., arguments with your friends, readings for a class you teach, fuel for an upcoming appointment with your doctor)?

3) Help us get more people reading about science - pass on my blog, and others here at SciAm and all over the darn internet. Find out what they think. Let me know how it goes.

Simple, huh? Also, you need a valid email address to comment, but that's it -- real names not needed. I believe there's a bug in the system that allows you to even comment immediately upon registering without waiting for the confirmation email. Just remember my comment policy and we'll be all good. Can't wait to hear from you!

I am Dr. Kate Clancy, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. On top of being an academic, I am a mother, a wife, an athlete, a labor activist, a sister, and a daughter. My beautiful blog banner was made by Jacqueline Dillard. Context and variation together help us understand humans (and any other species) as complicated. But they also help to show us that biology is not immutable, that it does not define us from the moment of our birth. Rather, our environment pushes and pulls our genes into different reaction norms that help us predict behavior and physiology. But, as humans make our environments, we have the ability to change the very things that change us. We often have more control over our biology than we may think.

More by Kate Clancy

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