USC Dornsife News

Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo doesn’t mark Mexican Independence. But it does represent an important turning point in the country's history.

Anthropologist, playwright and author of a new book on race and the arts Dorinne Kondo of USC Dornsife weighs in on why representation in the arts is vital.

Anthropologist, playwright and author of a new book on race and the arts Dorinne Kondo of USC Dornsife weighs in on why representation is vital. [7 ¼ min read]

The Pilgrims repeatedly thanked God for their good fortune, but without two earlier developments, the entire undertaking at New Plymouth would have likely failed, writes Peter Mancall of history and anthropology at USC Dornsife. [5 ¼ min read]

Folklore expert Tok Thompson of anthropology at USC Dornsife discusses the enduring popularity of ghosts and how belief in them may be linked to ethics and morality. [4 min read]

For centuries, European intellectuals had imagined a world beyond their borders populated by “monstrous races.” Christopher Columbus was no different, explains USC Dornsife historian Peter Mancall. [4 min read]

Images of famine or poverty are often used by human rights groups to galvanize support. And they often do. The ethics of these images is a more complex story. [5 3/4 min read]

A new book by biologist and anthropologist Craig Stanford provides a pioneering overview of our knowledge of chimpanzees, challenging us to let apes guide our inquiry into what it means to be human.

An expert in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, the professor of anthropology was frequently tapped for his expertise, which he lent to several politically charged, landmark court cases.