Ethnography.com

Washington Rediscovers Myanmar’s Chaotic Borderlands–and its Inner John Rambo

Tony Waters — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:19:58 +0000

Washington has rediscovered Myanmar’s chaotic borderlands—again. After cutting aid to the countryin early 2025, the US now promises Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) “strike forces” who claim to work with the Royal Thai Police in their War Room Task Force in Bangkok, investigating and combatting scam compounds in Myanmar. Washington is even rumored to be offering a $25-million reward for the arrest of people organizing scam centers across Southeast Asia, although no Myanmar names have yet appeared on Department of State lists.…

An Ethnography of Health Insurance Claims—How Blue Shield lawyers ignore subpoenas from consumers

Tony Waters — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 19:30:08 +0000

For the last 6 years, I have been dealing with a health insurance claim for my wife’s hip operation in Thailand in January 2020. We were insured by Blue Shield of California at the time which is an administrator for my employer’s health care program at the time, the California Public Employees Retirement System (CALPERS). The policy Blue Shield administered included coverage for global emergency and urgent health care needs. In November 2019, Blue Shield pre-approved an operation on my wife’s hip because she could barely walk, and agreed the condition was considered urgent.…

Myanmar’s Endless Turning Points

Tony Waters — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 21:00:08 +0000

Published as a Guest Column in The Irrawaddy, Reading Time: 7 mins read

In 1949, the newly independent Burma was said to be on the verge of collapse as Communist Party of Burma (CPB) forces occupied Mandalay, and the Karen Army encircled Yangon. In the early 1960s, Ne Win’s coup was supposed to restore stability but in fact led to a resurgence in highland ethnic armed groups, and in the lowlands, initiated the terror of the secret police with their dank prisons.…

General Ne Win, Burmanization, and the Problem of Peace in Modern Myanmar

Tony Waters — Sun, 26 May 2024 09:34:00 +0000

I have been remiss in posting to Ethnography.com. For about ten years, this ws a forum I really enjoyed. There was a community of bloggers, and the quality of ethnography posted was unusual in both its geographic spread, and the vigor of its writings about places as diverse as Dominica in the Caribbean, Tunisia, Madagascar, Tanznia, Myanmar, Romania, and other places around the world. I think I am one of the few people in the world who actually enjoys editing ethnograhpic writing. …

Bracelets in Difficult Times: The Importance of Ordinary People’s Stories

Guest Blogger — Mon, 15 May 2023 14:00:10 +0000

– by Sigrid van Roode –

The young man looked at me hesitantly. “Well, I don’t know….” he said. “I’ll have to ask my grandfather, but he’s praying right now. Would you like some more tea?” Three glasses of hot sweet tea later, his grandfather entered the tiny shop in Cairo, Egypt’s Khan el-Khalili market where I sat, surrounded by old and vintage silver jewellery. We exchanged greetings and pleasantries, shared some more tea, and eventually settled on a price for the bracelet I wanted to buy.…

Distant Doctors: A Surgical Theater in Romania

Guest Blogger — Mon, 01 May 2023 14:00:27 +0000

Distant Doctors: A Surgical Theater in Romania

– By Cristina A. Pop –

Someone has a fondness for purple decor, I decide, as I look around the examination room at a gigantic poster of blooming irises, a mauve plastic cover atop the gynecological table, and a vase of artificial lilac cuttings on the windowsill. No need to look further: sitting at a desk covered in patient paperwork, the doctor sports a lavender gown.…

Religious Ritual at the Credit Card Machine

Christina Lauren Quigley — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 12:48:12 +0000

Ritual Shrine Offerings Among the Exotic Nacirema Tribe

While it may seem that anthropologists have documented the most exotic rituals across the globe, the strangest rituals are still yet to be documented by scientists in the exotic tribe of the Nacirema. The strange beginnings of the exotic Nacirema tribe have been documented by Tocqueville (1835), and intimate body rituals have been documented by Miner (1956), but no scientist has brought to light the strangest worship ritual of any tribe on the planet.…