Today, Derek Boyd (University of Tennessee, Knoxville) delves into a range of topics covering intersectional theory, forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology and palaeopathology (i.e., the study of archaeological health and disease).

What was happening socially and technologically in industrial-era England? How does Derek want to study historical health in this context through a combination of scientific methodologies and archival research? Why is the application of intersectional theory to studies of archaeological human remains becoming a more common approach? How may we understand the past better by considering the intersections of age, sex, race, class and geographical location when interpreting the data? What about Derek's other research in taphonomic facilities (or otherwise known as body farms), and does intersectional thinking play into his work as a forensic anthropologist too?

You can find more information in the show notes under the episode on our website.

To follow more of Derek's work or ask him any questions, you can find his information on his anthropology department's website.

You can find Michael on Twitter and Instagram too.

The Arch and Anth Podcast is on Twitter and Instagram, and it has a Facebook page.

If you liked this episode and you want to help contribute to the show, please visit the Patreon page for details on how to do that.

On this episode, Dr. Liana Chua (Brunel University London) talks about the social anthropology of Malaysian Borneo, people in Sarawak who work with and around orangutans, and the tension between local Bidayuh interests (which do not typically include conserving orangutans) and the great concern with the 'plight of the orangutan' coming from 'the West'.

What is the history of land management on the ground and what have social anthropologists been able to show about contemporary challenges and changing community relationships with the land? Can interdisciplinary research that merges social anthropology and conservation work be the way forward, or are there considerations researchers need to consider when working within multiple frameworks?

You can find more information in the show notes under the episode on our website.

If you want to get in touch with Liana to share questions or thoughts, you can find her on Twitter, her Brunel University page and the Global Lives of the Orangutan website.

You can find Michael on Twitter and Instagram.

The Arch and Anth Podcast is on Twitter and Instagram, and it has a Facebook page.

If you liked this episode and you want to help contribute to the show, please visit the Patreon page for details on how to do that.

In this episode, Dr. Diana Moreiras (University of Western Ontario) talks to us about her work as a Mesoamerican archaeologist, isotopic chemist and bioarchaeologist.

How did Diana first get into archaeological science and performing research in Mesoamerican studies? What isotopic techniques does she use to study diet and movement of past people in ancient Mexico? Why were human sacrifices a significant part of ritual in Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan and Templo R of Tlatelolco? Who were those sacrificed? What does Diana hope to study in the future?

You can find more information in the show notes under the episode on our website.

You can find Diana on Twitter if you have questions for her, or follow her on Instagram as well.

You can find Michael on Twitter and Instagram.

The Arch and Anth Podcast is on Twitter and Instagram, and it has a Facebook page.

If you liked this episode and you want to help contribute to the show, please visit the Patreon page for details on how to do that.

Today, Maddi Harris (University of Melbourne; Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) shares her PhD research on the Philistines of the Bronze and Iron Age in the southern Levant.

Who were the Philistines and what have been previous interpretations of their architecture, spatial living and culture? Are archaelogists ever able to generalize about why ancient human societies left certain remnants behind? What was Maddi's first excavation, what did she learn from her various experiences abroad, and what has Maddi seen as the major challenges being out on excavation? What are some ways archaeologists deal with the physically exhausting and emotionally impactful aspects of long trips away from home?

You can find more information in the show notes under the episode on our website.

If you want to get in touch with Maddi to share questions or thoughts, you can find her on Twitter.

You can find Michael on Twitter and Instagram.

The Arch and Anth Podcast is on Twitter and Instagram, and it has a Facebook page.

If you liked this episode and you want to help contribute to the show, please visit the Patreon page for details on how to do that.

Andrew Skinner (University of Witswatersrand) talks to us on this episode about the interpretation of rock art in southern Africa using critical and interdisciplinary approaches.

In his research, Andrew concentrates on the analysis of rock art on the Cape Coast of South Africa by considering the historic and geographic context of the ethnography. Today, he speaks about the limitations of previous arguments describing rock art as simply being 'ritual' or merely being a documentation of prehistoric life. He aims to reframe our studies of the oral and historic record through interviews, work in genetics, linguistics and other areas of anthropology/archaeology, and greater inclusion of contemporary communities as partners in interpretation.

You can find more information in the show notes under the episode on our website.

You can find Andrew on Twitter if you have any feedback or questions.

You can find Michael Rivera on Twitter and Instagram as well.

The Arch and Anth Podcast is on Twitter and Instagram, and it has a Facebook page.

If you liked this episode and you want to help contribute to the show, please visit the Patreon page for details on how to do that.

To welcome in the new year, we have Dr. Darcy Shapiro (PBS Eons) on the podcast to talk about her work managing science communication content all about paleontology, the study of fossil animals and plants.

What mammals roamed the Earth back in the Miocene, and do we see animals living then that resemble apes at all? What is the day-to-day work of a content manager for a science YouTube channel? How did Darcy transition from being a biological anthropologist in academia to becoming a full-time science communicator? What expertise, process and skills are required to work in writing and producing effective and educational videos?

You can find more information in the show notes under the episode on our website.

PBS Eons can be found on YouTube or the PBS website, and followed on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

If you have feedback or questions for Darcy, you can also get in contact with her on Twitter.

You can find Michael on Twitter and Instagram.

The Arch and Anth Podcast is on Twitter and Instagram, and it has a Facebook page.

If you liked this episode and you want to help contribute to the show, please visit the Patreon page for details on how to do that.

In this episode, Dr. Bettina Höchli (Department Consumer Behavior, University of Bern) talks about long-term and short-term goal pursuit and how people may make successful New Year's resolutions.

What are behavioral psychology and behavioral economics? How may consumer behavior research be useful to governments, companies, non-profit organizations and institutions working on climate advocacy? What factors, and how do different levels of abstraction, affect whether someone will achieve the goals they set in a sustainable and beneficial manner? What tips does Bettina have for all of us who might be thinking of goals to set for 2020 this week?

You can find more information in the show notes under the episode on our website.

If you have feedback or questions for Bettina, you can find her on her departmental webpage, Google Scholar and ResearchGate.

You can find Michael on Twitter and Instagram.

The Arch and Anth Podcast is on Twitter and Instagram, and it has a Facebook page.

If you liked this episode and you want to help contribute to the show, please visit the Patreon page for details on how to do that.

Today, Robyn Lacy speaks about her expertise and experiences in field archaeology and cultural resources management (or 'CRM').

Robyn has worked at a number of archaeological and cemetery sites doing heritage management, curation, restoration, recovery and reporting, including Woodland Cemetery and Brick Street Cemetery in Ontario. Her Master's research at Memorial University of Newfoundland examined the spatial distribution and stylistic variation of seventeenth-century burial spaces in coastal British North America.

You can find more information in the show notes under the episode on our website.

If you want to get in touch with Robyn, you can follow her work and get in contact via Twitter and her blog, Spade & Grave.

You can find Michael on Twitter and Instagram.

The Arch and Anth Podcast is on Twitter and Instagram, and it has a Facebook page.

If you liked this episode and you want to help contribute to the show, please visit the Patreon page for details on how to do that.

On this festive episode, we hear from Bobby Alcid Rubio (Pixar) talking about working in animation, Filipino identity and his latest film short now on Disney+ entitled, 'Float'.

How did Bobby infuse aspects of his Filipino-American identity and relationship with his son in his storywriting for 'Float'? What hurdles did Bobby's team overcome to produce 'Float' in a mere six months and limited budget for Pixar's SparkShorts program? When did Bobby first realize the powerful storytelling capability of creating animated movies? How does Bobby spend Christmas with his loved ones, and what Filipino foods can be found on his family dining table?

You can find more information in the show notes under the episode on our website.

If you want to let us know you've listened to the episode, find Bobby on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

You can find Michael on Twitter and Instagram.

The Arch and Anth Podcast is on Twitter and Instagram, and it has a Facebook page.

If you liked this episode and you want to help contribute to the show, please visit the Patreon page for details on how to do that.

On a very special Hanukkah episode, Rabbi Neil Amswych (Temple Beth Shalom, Santa Fe) talks about the beliefs and religious practices of Reform Judaism.

What is the story behind Hanukkah? What was Rabbi Neil's journey from studying astrophysics at university in the UK to working as a Rabbi in the US? What characterizes the approach Jewish communities take towards debates and discussions about current-day affairs and differences in views, backgrounds and levels of devotedness to observing ritual practices? How does Rabbi Neil think people can best learn more about the Jewish faith?

You can find more information in the show notes under the episode on our website.

If you have feedback or questions for Rabbi Neil, more information on Temple Beth Shalom and his contact details can be found at their website.

You can find Michael on Twitter and Instagram.

The Arch and Anth Podcast is on Twitter and Instagram, and it has a Facebook page.

If you liked this episode and you want to help contribute to the show, please visit the Patreon page for details on how to do that.