Sudan Sword (Kaskara) and Knife Paper

Edster · 2nd June 2012, 08:27 PM

Ibrahiim,

Thanks for bumping this old post. It stimulated my thinking and an assessment of what other similar field work I may have done. Actually, nothing. For now I must remain a One Trick Pony. Its not that I haven't been motivated, but like most of us when I've had the money, I didn't have the time and when I had the time, I didn't have the money. Willie Nelson was very insightful in this regard.

Had I chosen academics, I could have fed from such as the National Science Foundation or Wenner Gren to fund treks into those ethnographic rich environments. But alas, I chose a different road to raise a family and now to fund my old age. I'm afraid it from arm chair to rocking chair for me.

The point of the ramble is it is practically very difficult for those of us outside academia to gather the means to do field work in ethnographic arms and armour. Traditional funding sources are generally only available to those with an affiliation to an academic institution. Sure, academics know how to put together a research program and what relevant questions to ask informants. But why shouldn't the rest of us, otherwise motivated and qualified, be able to get a sabbatical from the financial worries of life to pursue a passion for learning about EAA? Some of us may (with or without sacrifice) have both the time and money, but for some reason or another lack the motivation or commitment to head to the field. Some among us have gone.

I have often thought that should I win some megabucks lottery I would establish a research foundation to fund field work for me and others to research topics of interest to me. Certainly EAA would be on the top of the list.

Any lottery winners out there?
Regards,
Ed

2nd June 2012, 08:27 PM	#4
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 411	Ibrahiim, Thanks for bumping this old post. It stimulated my thinking and an assessment of what other similar field work I may have done. Actually, nothing. For now I must remain a One Trick Pony. Its not that I haven't been motivated, but like most of us when I've had the money, I didn't have the time and when I had the time, I didn't have the money. Willie Nelson was very insightful in this regard. Had I chosen academics, I could have fed from such as the National Science Foundation or Wenner Gren to fund treks into those ethnographic rich environments. But alas, I chose a different road to raise a family and now to fund my old age. I'm afraid it from arm chair to rocking chair for me. The point of the ramble is it is practically very difficult for those of us outside academia to gather the means to do field work in ethnographic arms and armour. Traditional funding sources are generally only available to those with an affiliation to an academic institution. Sure, academics know how to put together a research program and what relevant questions to ask informants. But why shouldn't the rest of us, otherwise motivated and qualified, be able to get a sabbatical from the financial worries of life to pursue a passion for learning about EAA? Some of us may (with or without sacrifice) have both the time and money, but for some reason or another lack the motivation or commitment to head to the field. Some among us have gone. I have often thought that should I win some megabucks lottery I would establish a research foundation to fund field work for me and others to research topics of interest to me. Certainly EAA would be on the top of the list. Any lottery winners out there? Regards, Ed