Eureka Gao
Major: Global Studies
Email: ziyuanga@usc.edu
Ask Me About:
- Ask me about what anthropology is: Is the study of humans all that anthropology is? (Ahead of time, the answer is NO.)
- Ask me about why Global Studies: What makes global studies different from the anthropology major? What strengths does it have that make it unique?
- Ask me about my interests: My current research interests in anthropology include global consumption trends and social alienation under the impact of capitalism, particularly in East Asia. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if your interests align.
Advice: When I first learned about anthropology, my lecturer asked us to consider what a community would require if it were isolated from the outside world. Resources, social orders, language, beliefs – all the words you can think of are holistically included in anthropology, and various societies grow using comparable components. “Making the strange familiar” (Clifford Geertz, 1973), anthropologists often help to translate what is different, which means reflect on what is accepted as normal and natural, and building bridges across cultures. If you are still exploring your interests, anthropology can be a great starting point, complementing any other discipline by helping you gain a deeper understanding of different social groups, and develop your critical thinking about social phenomena.