HTS Is Hiring

Looks like HTS is hiring again. Here’s some info from the Network of Concerned Anthros:

Rex

Alex Golub is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. His book Leviathans at The Gold Mine has been published by Duke University Press. You can contact him at rex@savageminds.org

8 thoughts on “HTS Is Hiring

  1. Interesting link, Ryan. But regarding the content: whoever takes seriously the idea that the U.S. Army would be able to easily start up an HTS initiative in Mexico needs a serious reality check.

    To state it clearly: there is not a chance in hell that the Mexican government or public would remotely allow this possibility. It just isn’t realistic. If there is anything that still tends to unite most Mexicans regarding the U.S. it is the patriotic fervor that grips folks here when they feel that their northern neighbour is being a bully. Regardless of the fact that it often becomes an easy cop out for local failings, it is true that the slightest perception of gringo interference is still a hugely sensitive issue across the entire socio-economic and political spectrum in Mexico.

    Moreover, even if somehow the government allowed it, Mexico has a long tradition of extremely vocal and proactive social groups and movements. They can often thwart even the best laid plans of government planners and technocrats (and anthropologists, both Mexican and foreign) and tend to be the first to go haywire at any hint of ham-fisted outside intervention into their cultural, territorial or legal affairs.

    Now, if the idea is to make it a covert initiative, that might make for some interesting developments, not least relating to how anthropologists here (a number of whom are members of AAA) would react to it.

    Herewith a recent link to how local indigenous groups and social movements in Oaxaca reacted to a recent, bizarre (and, to me, still slightly unclear) but related move:
    http://zeroanthropology.net/2010/06/03/human-terrain-system-video-news-john-stanton-and-the-ags-bowman-expeditions-in-mexico/

  2. Hey Carlos,

    “But regarding the content: whoever takes seriously the idea that the U.S. Army would be able to easily start up an HTS initiative in Mexico needs a serious reality check.”

    Agreed. What struck me here is the possibility that the HTS folks are even considering any of this, and what on earth they think they are going to be doing in Mexico. I definitely agree with you that anyone who thinks that this sort of thing will be accepted by the Mexican govt or people had another thing coming.

    So far though this wired.com link is all that I have found about HTS/Mexico so I posted it. Maybe not the best source, of course. The main reason I even wrote about comment about this is because the whole HTS idea sounds completely insane…especially because of many of the reasons you mention.

    “Now, if the idea is to make it a covert initiative, that might make for some interesting developments, not least relating to how anthropologists here (a number of whom are members of AAA) would react to it.”

    Ya, then there’s THAT aspect of the whole thing. Not good.

    Anyway, I am going to look into this a bit more and see what comes up. All in all it sounds pretty unrealistic, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the HTS folks were actually considering something like this.

    Thanks for the other link, btw.

  3. If a certain country receives dole outs from the US, the latter has the responsibility to check if those dole outs reach to the villages and induce social, political, and economic changes or if they go to the pockets of the corrupt leaders and politicians who use them for their repressive/oppressive politics. Who can better do that task if not social scientists?

    The connection between poverty and insurgency is not a new idea. Socials scientists in developing countries have been saying that even before the onslaught of armed struggles in the 60’s and 70’s. Some goals of HTS are reasonable.

    I work with a lot of Mexicans cooks. They themselves are scared to go back to Mexico. They view their own country a failed state. The drug menace in Mexico is very complex. It involves migration/immigration, social tolerance and fear, narco-politics and economics, crime and injustice, culture and religion. Now you want social scientists not to participate? By not doing something is not only inhuman to innocent Mexicans, but an assault to the senses of thinking humans. Complacency should never be a goal of social scientists.

  4. Now you want social scientists not to participate? By not doing something is not only inhuman to innocent Mexicans, but an assault to the senses of thinking humans.

    Plenty of social scientists and others – including “innocent Mexicans” – are participating by pointing out that the War on Drugs has been a misguided horror story. Personally, I find the suggestion that the War on Drugs is ever going to be won to be an assault on the senses of thinking (and even non-thinking!) humans. A piss-poor strategy is no more likely to achieve its stated goals just because it budgets for a little social science expertise.

  5. Just got this announcement directed at faculty along with a number of glossy flyers directed at students:

    The Visiting Scholars Program which my colleague and I also recruit for is described in the brief paragraph below; it is the opportunity available to faculty. A candidate for the VS program must have extensive experience on conducting field research on populations utilizing an interpreter or have advanced cultural understanding of Afghanistan.

    Re: Visiting Scholars:
    Research Methods – with focus on a) overseas field research experience with indigenous populations through an interpreter; and (2) formal research methods training that includes qualitative analytical approaches. Research conducted in semi-permissive and non-permissive environments.

    2. Regional Culture – with focus on a) Afghanistan/Pakistan and regional relations and conflict, b) Afghanistan Tribalism, inter-tribal relations and traditional dispute resolutions, c) Afghanistan agricultural development, d) development of emerging states (governance and security), and e) economic development in central Asia agricultural development (agriculture), development of emerging states (governance and security), economic principles and operations in central Asia (economy)

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