“The analytical ability is the spiritual power that equals thought to vision and coalesce them all together in a single item, the usually opposed activities of intuition and deduction. This ability takes the problems at hand, at a medium distance avoiding doubling the source of errors: deducing from a too small number of details lost to sight; get lost in thought in the search for hidden causes of phenomena when everything must be taken in a single concatenation from what is seen. The ideal detective is the one who, at the same time, opens his eyes wide on the visible and closes them to order elements through their inner vision”. (Jacques Rancière, The edges of fiction, 2019 (;2017);: 78. Edhasa, Buenos Aires. “Understood as a critique of the anthropomorphic common sense that paranoidly thinks that what it cannot see or does not want to see is hidden, Archeology does not "study" content: documents or thoughts, images, themes, or obsessions that are "hidden" in the "works", but that proposes to describe (and rewrite) from outside, and de-psychologize the discourses, treated as objects produced by discursive practices.”(Ruben Tani; Octavio Nadal. The persistence of memory. Formalization and re-presentation of modern disciplines, 2016: 92. HUM Publishing House, Montevideo)

In each new volume of the Uruguayan Journal of Anthropology and Ethnography, the passages in caption end up revolving on axes that guide us through the texts, proposing substance for comments and reflections on the Editorial, as well as the references to literature, in particular, the genre of detective stories brilliantly brought to life by EA Poe, (which J. Ranciére analyzes) puts us in tune with a fundamental attitude to appreciate developments and findings of anthropological works. By the way, in investigative tasks the detective spirit - in a good way - discards obviousness to penetrate into ever deeper layers and elements of what is observed, said, or argued. In this publication we offer a wide spectrum of works, without wanting to exclude or obscure any point of view. In the different genres or disciplinary biases we can recognize a similar and coincident goal of demonstrating that it is possible to build and advance the knowledge on ways of proceeding, manifestations and human thought, in spatial and historical-cultural arrangements. This knowledge grows at the cost of novel explorations, of methodological questions, of epistemological risks.

In coincidence with the notion of searching for evidence previously evoked, Tani and Nadal’s (2016) opinion recalls the prevailing analogy with archeology procedures, inspired and in collusion with Foucaultian proposals in which a demanding tension is claimed to monitor the production of the analyzes, to capture significant clues in diverse contexts.

Precisely, we could say we are currently witnessing changes in territorialities, objects, forms of validation and dissemination of the scientific capacity of the different specializations within the anthropological sciences, while on the "outside" we see possible exchanges unfolding, and necessarily so, with so many other disciplines.

We are less and less intimidated by a single canon of objects and procedures. The difference, or identity, must be sought in the interpretations. We can surely agree that after observing, we all should "close our eyes, and see with our inner vision".

At this point I can pick up words already said, because they express precisely the realities of the publication and feelings of those who work to make it possible “we should be grateful that national and international authors entrust us with the results of their research, offering their works so that we can collaborate in the expansion of knowledge that, thanks to new media and portals can now flow without limits, in a digital world. We welcome the addition of readers and collaborations of authors from different institutions and regions; we also see that they show agreement in searches and innovations that allow circular returns to the anthropological vocation. This, without unnecessary repetitions, with a willingness to capture what is at the very core of the foundations of the discipline and in the restless breath of the air of each era, of this era” (Romero, S. Editorial RUAE, 2019, vol one).

Working with the material received in 2019 we perceive once again approaches and themes that continue to surprise us for being original, contextualized, contributing elements such as to renew debates, propose new domains outside of the already explored, or with glimpses that allow us to visualize aspects not previously considered.

It’s perhaps necessary to reiterate that the effort of this publication, in each semester, grows by taking into account reflections and investigations taking place from different places, and from different formative stages. The exposed findings are not intended to close roads but to explore and propose new ways, which lead us to better levels of knowledge, to better questions. As usually happens when composing the whole of the publication in its different Sections, including presentations and guest lectures, the reviews of publications and theses defended, we note that the themes and the senses circulate between the texts, marking significant links, theoretical nodes that bring forth a certain identity (despite the diversity of origins, authorships, formats) that makes what we known as anthropology and ethnography.

It is appropriate to place here information on formal changes and constant aspects of this publication:

Studies and Essays

In the Studies and Essays Section we can find three texts referring to different research situations, with interpretations of different scopes. In the first text, there’s a return to what’s been questioned for decades, the significant presence in regions of the country of mounds built by native settlers or settled thousands of years before the colonial era.

Following an almost traditional line of socio-cultural research, in the second article a colleague from Argentina puts us face to face with situations and characters we can encounter when on a professional mission towards the so-called "organized community", not individualities but collective ones. In the recording and analysis of attitudes and responses reasons appear, arise, for a critical reflection.

In the third article, co-authored by Colombian colleagues, we find another very different and contemporary focus point; the idea is to visualize the ethnographic work at the service of objects mostly ignored until now: the world of consumption and its native inhabitants, consumers. The exploration reveals capabilities unlike anything seen before, and increasing demands on the old practice of ethnographic research.

We are pleased to offer this diverse and novel material; Both texts and authors deserve our attention and dissemination.

Roberto Bracco (FHCE, Uruguay) in “The raw and the cooked: a new approach to the 'cerritos de indios” proposes a review of the subject, or rather the “enigma” of the cerritos de indios, mounds. Although related to the well-known work that starts the Mythological trilogy (C. Lévi-Strauss), we can already recognize that a new reading or a novel angle of approach to the canonical theme of national archeology is approaching. In fact, the latest laboratory analysis techniques allow us to connect with more than ancestral cooking methods, and from there conjure up more risky anthropological interpretations and hypotheses, that is, they put into play several knowledge of different branches of our discipline. We reach an internal interdisciplinary resolution. We are invited to leave interests that are too different from others, to cover procedures and interpretations that are not born from a single gaze, from a single thematic library.

María Victoria Taruselli (National University of Entre Ríos, Argentina), In Reflections on the ethnographic approach and collaboration based on experience with indigenous organizations takes us to a contemporary setting, which studies face-to-face relationships with people of indigenous origin in some way installed in large urban centers, organized in institutions, with leaders or managers who are the first speakers who are contacted by researchers stemming from different professions (including anthropologists) who approach us with unpublished and fought for projects. There begin encounters and misunderstandings; leaving aside the cabinet manuals you have to be open to waiting, listening, and perhaps, to momentary disappointments.

César Augusto González Vélez, David Fernando García González (National University of Colombia) share with us The consumer as a resource. The enhancement of the ethnography of consumption in market research, a stimulating approach to a little explored issue that is actually presented as one of the many novelties that we find in the ever challenging world of anthropology, constantly adapting to contexts, to the possibilities of using technologies, to acquire ways of intervention in rapid research modalities, from a personal profile and, yet without abandoning the certainty of the ethnographic method. The relationship between applied anthropology and market research could be debated, but it’s undeniable how taking risks outside classic academic domains or otherwise well-traveled ones.

Research Updates

In the Research Updates Section we have three papers, texts that correspond to different instances of elaboration and academic growth. They are located in very diverse places, countries. Once again we’re pleasantly surprised by the variety of topics, and we’re glad to see the real possibility of thinking (about) us in terms of interdisciplinarity, an inward view of anthropology itself.

The first investigation raises questions, inconveniences, that arose in a bio-anthropological study conducted in Montevideo, Uruguay (FHCE). The second paper is regarding Afro communities in the Western Caribbean area, where a Colombian student from the FHCE Master's Program, Uruguay, plans to study territorial governance practices, with legal-anthropological interests. The third study comes from a uruguayan researcher in a topic we can identify as Ethnomusicology, taking her questions and making records in places all over contemporary Africa, full of traditions and ways of cultivating musical styles. We appreciate how the Norwegian academy enables immersion opportunities in distant areas and subjects, which somehow connect with our complex identity aspects.

Lucas Prieto (FHCE, Uruguay) in What do we do it for? Ethical reflections of the bio-anthropological work within the framework of “Identity and genetics” project presents a study where questions of biological anthropology (in the search for ancestrality markers) are intertwined with questions of another order, regarding an ethically respectful approach, which does not overuse the extraction of data without the necessary epistemological and self-reflective vigilance. It’s interesting to know that these considerations arose from the concern and knowledge of young graduates of the Bachelor of Anthropological Sciences, FHCE.

Laura Posada (from Colombia, a student in the Master's Program of the FHCE, Uruguay) in From Litigations to the country: anthropology for social reform. An experience of litigating and anthropology in south Acandi (Western Caribbean) intends to advance the knowledge of localities and communities (ethnic minorities) in her country, Colombia, making very successful use of lessons learned through courses and seminars of the master's degree in Montevideo. The choice of place might attract attention at first, but then it is understood that it follows the most original inspiration of ethnographic studies, based on displacements, decentralization of day to day observation to know an object built by a theoretically intentional look. It’s not a casual look, again in this case interwoven with legal and anthropological knowledge.

Laura Álvarez Machín (Uruguayan, researcher in Norway) in Gender, traditional music and taboos of the Mahe society in West Africa displays the subject of her research on traditional music performers in the Mandé region. She found not only the griots, but was interested in griotas, a Spanishized and feminized form of a prestigious position in the traditional and contemporary musical environment, where women still have some cultural limitations. Through song they seem to move, stand out, with more freedom, since the performance of certain instruments appears as "naturally" assigned according to genres. The author evokes a rich musical panorama that unfortunately, does not usually reach us. That’s why we appreciate this research breakthrough, as an update to world music.

Dossier

In the Dossier Section we discuss expressions of academic life, built with diverse contributions, and above all, that summons the presence and participation of an informed public, a “critical mass” of local anthropology. The exhibitions by national and foreign specialists enrich us in our continuous growth.

Sonnia Romero and Octavio Nadal (FHCE, Uruguay) composed the presentation of reasons for which Ruben Tani's sustained work was honored in the publication of theoretical articles (author and co-author) since 2000 to date in academic journals, Yearbook of Social and Cultural Anthropology in Uruguay (2000 to 2015) and Uruguayan Journal of Anthropology and Ethnography (2016 to date).

The presentation took place on August 21, 2019 at the FHCE, with the participation of teachers, graduates, undergraduate and graduate students.

Inti Clavijo (FHCE, Uruguay) refers to the conference given on August 29, 2019 by Dr. José Bassini (Uruguayan, professor at the University of Manaus, Brazil). His work and research experience in the Amazonas region are noteworthy. The concern for the evolution of the indigenous peoples and especially the natural and threatened environment of the Amazon is highlighted. I. Clavijo learned an expression that illustrates the topic and position of the speaker, who referred to "the siliconization of the Amazon" in its progressive afforestation.

Andrea Quadrelli (FHCE, Uruguay) wrote a review of the conference by Gabriel D. Noel (UNSAM, Argentina) which took place on August 22, 2019 at the FHCE. G. Noel’s presentation was about the meanings and implications for authors and tutors in the process of producing a postgraduate thesis. Taking on a postgraduate course is increasingly being sought after by university students , particularly for Anthropological Sciences students. In that sense the dissertation was important, timely.

Open space

In this section we name, in a short format, news of the national and regional academic work.

We highlight the reviews, written and sent by their own thesis authors, who have already defended within the framework of the Postgraduate Program of the FHCE, Master in Anthropology of the Region of the River Plate Basin:

Bruno Mora, defended his Master's thesis, "If you go hunt dragons you get scales." Ethnographic study on the production of ethos in fight clubs. A fairly original study on training locations of Modern Budokas in the city of Montevideo.

Francisco Abella, defended his Master's thesis “Goodbye to the chimneys. Working, social and collective memories under the effects of deindustrialization in Juan Lacaze ”. A comprehensive study, with historical and anthropological inspiration about an indelible period in the life of Juan Lacaze, Colonia, Uruguay.

Gustavo Acosta defended his Master's thesis "Batlle’s country house, or Piedras Blancas’ country house". Long-term work where the author reconstructs the historical period, and the first level character who from his country house and from his presidency marked the country for all of the twentieth century.

In this second volume of the year we conclude with comments from Fraternity to build by Jorge Di Paula (2019), an architect who had the sustained concern to integrate with other disciplines, among which he always gravitated towards Social and Cultural Anthropology, to build reflection and proposals for the city, for housing, and especially to consider what he termed as Popular Housing. He is the founder of REAHVI, Academic Network of Human Settlements, Habitat and Housing. In volume I of the RUAE of this year, we published notes by Ing. Benjamín Nahoum (FADU), Esc. Arturo Iglesias (Fac. Of Law) and the Ethnologist Sonnia Romero (FHCE).

We close with the notes of colleagues and former students of J. Di Paula, who also integrated REAHVI, architects Noel Salgado and María Huerto Delgado (FADU, Uruguay) and Adriana Goñi anthropologist, specialized in urban studies (Eastern University Center, CURE). It is clear that with J. Di Paula and with the colleagues mentioned above, we are advancing in the construction of innovative approaches in fundamental issues for the city and housing.

Tema de la convocatoria 2020

The RUAE has an open invitation to publish original works (not published before) dealing with: Time’s regime in the ever-changing world of Anthropology.

Deadline for delivery of original or unpublished works for all sections: May and August of 2020 for volumes 1 and 2 respectively.

The editorial team reserves the right to distribute the material in both biannual volumes.