Some topics and ideas that interest me:
- Ways that people adorn themselves in other cultures
- Could be narrowed down to makeup (Egyptian cat eye eyeliner, Indian tradition of henna)
- Could also focus in on jewelry/headpieces etc.
- Bedouins
- How has modernity and technology impacted this group of people?
- How are they represented in media or textbooks? Is this representation hurtful or helpful? Accurate or inaccurate?
- What role does religion play for this group? The idea of moving around a lot in the desert sounds very Biblical and I’m curious if there are any ties or parallels to stories from the Bible.
- The human need to collect objects
- I immediately think of sneaker culture when I think of collecting, so this topic can be narrowed down to sneaker culture and why people collect shoes. Can also be broadened to include time capsules and different forms of collecting objects
- The role of natural medicine and remedies in tribes and tribal societies (specifically in Central and South America– modern day)
- Shamans and witch doctors
- These are “normal” people but are valued much more in tribal societies because of their healing powers, which I think is interesting.
- The evolution of jazz music in the late 1800s and early 1900s
- How it started as a way for slaves to find joy and celebration
- How it’s evolved and become a source of entertainment
- How jazz is not only music, but culture. Clothing and appearance are also something I closely connect with jazz as well as jazz clubs and different jazz meeting places (and what kind of meeting places attract certain kinds of people and even types of jazz music)
- Overall, how did a genre of music become an entire culture?
- Theme of indulgence, decadence, guilty pleasures
- Why do we feel guilt when indulging?
- Temporary and impermanent homes
- I first thought of trailers, trailer parks, and RVs
- Can be expanded to include not only human homes but temporary homes built by animals such as beehives or anthills
- Homes that destroy themselves? Homes that are only meant to last for a little while?
- Could also be expanded to include the metaphorical idea of a home or lack of home. Home doesn’t have to be physical, more a feeling, emotion, or even person. What is home?
