Conference Information
Comparison has shaped anthropological thought from the beginning of the discipline. This comparative stance has always been controversial, possibly never more so as it has become in the 21st century. The stance has been challenged by those who pointed out that, even now, most comparisons proceed from a Euro-American point of view. This may be all the more true of the anthropology of education that remains determinedly focused on Euro-American political and ideological concerns. However, comparison continues to serve multiple essential functions for anthropologists. It helps them question taken-for-granted assumptions by revealing alternative social arrangements. Comparison also illuminates patterns and variations in human practices across societies, enabling researchers to develop and test theories about social organization and processes. Finally, by examining how similar phenomena manifest differently in various contexts, anthropologists gain deeper insights into the specific systems they study.
It is now time to discuss further the place of comparison in anthropology, and particularly in the anthropology of education. In this Fifth Biennial Conference, we imagine how to maintain a comparative perspective in the conditions all anthropologists now face.
Please find programmatic materials for the conference in the link below. For additional information about accessing TC, getting around campus, and connecting with resources, please scroll down to the FAQ sections below.
5th Biennial Conference Schedule
Registration
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE 5TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE!
Keynote Speaker
Min Zhang
Assistant Professor, Minzu University of China
FAQs
This conference is for students, scholars, and practitioners interested in anthropological approaches to education research. While the conference focuses on anthropology of education, attendees from a variety of disciplines may also benefit from the content presented at the conference. Institutional affiliation is not required for participation in this conference. Students are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Please send emails to anthroevents@tc.columbia.edu.
Visitors to TC must check in with security before entering the building. To do so, please enter at the Zankel Hall entrance (mid-block). Security will ask for your ID and print a visitor’s sticker for you. We recommend that you budget at least 10 minutes to complete this process, as there is likely to be a line particularly on Friday morning. The pass you will receive is valid for both days of the conference and will be required for moving in and out of TC buildings. Please keep it with you at all times while on campus.
After checking in at the security desk, please stop by the conference check-in table in front of Milbank Chapel, where you will receive your conference materials. All conference events will be held in Milbank Chapel.
Throughout the conference you will have full access to all of TC’s facilities. This includes our lovely Gottesman Library located in Russell Hall, the courtyard which can be accessed via Grace Dodge Hall, and the dining hall, located in the basement of Grace Dodge. (Please note: TC’s dining services will be open only on Friday. However, the dining hall itself will be open and accessible for the duration of the conference.)
Teachers College is located at 525 West 120th Street, north of the main Columbia University campus. A campus map can be found here.
TC is accessible via several modes of public transportation. For general access to TC, take the 1 Train to the 116th St Station (Note: this station is not wheelchair accessible.). TC is also accessible via the A, B, C and D trains (to 125th street, an accessible station), and the M4, M60, and M104 buses. Further transit information can be found here.
Hourly paid street parking is available in front of TC and on the surrounding streets. Some of the smaller cross streets may have free street parking (please make sure to read all street signs and parking stipulations). There are also parking garages at 532 W 122nd St and 645 W 120th St.
Visitors to TC must check in with security before entering the building. To do so, please enter at the Zankel Hall entrance (mid-block). Security will ask for your ID and print a visitor’s sticker for you. We recommend that you budget at least 10 minutes to complete this process. The pass you will receive is valid for both days of the conference and will be required for moving in and out of TC buildings. Please keep it with you at all times while on campus.
For information about lactation facilities and all gender restrooms, please follow this link.
To request disability-related accommodations, contact the Office of Access and Services for Individuals with Disabilities (OASID) at oasid@tc.edu, (212) 678-3689, (646) 755-3144 video phone, as early as possible.
We encourage you to use meal breaks as an opportunity to connect with fellow conference attendees and explore Teachers College and the surrounding area. Light refreshments will be available in front of Milbank Chapel on both Friday and Saturday mornings. Food is available for purchase in the TC dining hall (Friday only), as well at various food trucks and restaurants along Broadway and Amsterdam Ave. Nearby coffee options include: Kuro Kuma, Pret A Manger, and Plowshares Coffee Roasters. Water bottle filling stations are available throughout campus.
To access wifi at TC, please use the TC-Guest network. You will be prompted to input your name and email address in order to use this network. Eduroam is also available. For more information please follow this link.
Accommodations can be made at Teachers College guest housing, through the Columbia University Visitors Center (https://www.tc.columbia.edu/housing/guest-and-conference-housing/), or in any of the area hotels in the region. Accommodations at Teachers College guest housing are available on a first come first serve basis.
Conference Organizers
Conference Chair
Graduate Assistant
Graduate Assistant
Doctoral Fellow
Doctoral Fellow