Roses in January: a neglected dimension in Gregory of Tour's historiae

Gregory of Tours was a sixth-century bishop who wrote Ten books of histories, our only detailed source of information for that period in Gaul. A great deal of attention has been paid to his vivid portrayal of Merovingian society and politics. Apart from his often obscure Latin, the strictly chronological composition and the absence of clear co-ordinating statements give his work the appearance of a jumbled, if lively, mosaic. The following study is an attempt to follow one strand through the many-coloured texture of the Histories, that of extraordinary natural events and the context in which Gregory places them, since this seemed to reveal an up to now not so apparent dimension of his thinking about time and, history: his concept of contemporaneity.     

Sampling seeds

Problems of sampling carbonized plant material are discussed. Firstly, the problem of actually selecting a sample in the laboratory is considered, and some experiments which investigate various procedures are described. Secondly, the statistical aspects of determining optimal sample sizes are considered. Formulae are given for calculating optimal sample sizes and confidence intervals. Upper bounds, which are independent of the total population size, are provided for the sample size required to achieve any desired accuracy.     

The sin of cain

In this comment, the author reflects on where Europe has gone wrong in terms of becoming more inward looking. What might anthropologists do about it?     

Filiation as a crossroads in Bahia

Drawing on ethnographic material collected in Bahia (Brazil) between 2004 and 2011, this article presents an alternative account of the notion of ‘filiation’ that avoids the equivoques concerning this concept that are dominant within contemporary anthropological discourses on kinship. The story of a lay preacher whose faith responds to her lack of a father figure illuminates how the constitution of personhood is based on filiation as a triangulation.     

CHATTING ABOUT MARRIAGE WITH FEMALE MIGRANTS TO SYRIA

The increasing number of women migrating to Syria from Europe has not only drawn the attention of the media and the security forces but also of researchers. Publications often either undervalue or overvalue women's agency, presenting them as victims of unscrupulous men or foregrounding their militant activism. As many authors work in the field of radicalisation and terrorism studies and use public online posts, they focus on the more radical, activist women who are keen to present themselves to the world at large. In our research project we work with a different focus and employ a different method. Our interest in how these women arrange their marriages and our use of private chatting produces other kinds of knowledge. In contrast to what labels such as ‘jihadi brides’ suggest, the women themselves desire to live under IS rule, while IS increasingly regulates these marriages. Rather than desiring to become female fighters or recruiting others, they see themselves as responsible for domestic life and attempt to normalize life under IS rule.     

Where in the world are youth geographies going? Reflections on the journey and directions for the future

ABSTRACT

This viewpoints paper reflects upon the journey youth geographies have travelled over the last 20 years and highlights some thoughts on where directions for new research might be best placed in the coming decades. In particular, the paper draws attention to the growing numbers of youth in the Global South and especially in the African continent where youth populations are set to continue to rise. The paper identifies some of the potential challenges faced by the majority of youth in coming years in particular the need to decolonise thinking around youth geographies while also considering the importance of economic, social and political contexts in shaping debates. The paper charts some potential new directions while also suggesting that youth’s own perspectives need to receive greater prominence in theory and outcomes.