Focus on Haiti – Association of Black Anthropologists

It has been four years since a 7.0 earthquake devastated parts of Haiti. At present, this disaster claimed over 200,000 lives and has left over 150,000. Additionally, Haitians continue to suffer from a cholera outbreak that has claimed thousands of lives.

Haitian woman carrying supplies amid the destruction from the January 2010 Haiti earthquake. (U.S. Geological Survey/photo by Anthony Crone.)

In 2014, the Association of Black Anthropologists (ABA) continues to focus on Haiti by standing in support and solidarity with Haiti, the first black republic in the world, by disseminating Haiti-related information and providing anthropological analysis of recent news from Haiti and issues affecting the Haitian diaspora.

To facilitate an informed dialogue about the past, present and future of Haiti, we ask that peers and colleagues continue to submit relevant Haiti-related information to the ABA focus on Haiti website to Bertin M. Louis, Jr. at: abahaiti@gmail.com. Please send:

Articles and Essays by anthropologists about Haiti and Haitian Earthquake Recovery-related topics,
Links of anthropologists in the media discussing Haiti and Haitian Earthquake Recovery-related topics,
Websites about Haiti, Haitian Culture and History, and
Annotated bibliographic information.

Michel-Rolph Trouillot (1949-2012): American Anthropological Association: Remembering Michel-Rolph Trouillot; Remembering Trouillot (Colin Dayan); Anthropology Report: Michel-Rolph Trouillot, Bibliography

Cholera and Earthquake Relief (courtesy of potomitan.net): Partners in Health; Digital Library of the Caribbean’s Protecting Haitian Patrimony Initiative; Dwa Fanm; Fonkoze; FANM; Haiti Reborn; Lambifund; Madre

Recent Books about Haiti and Haitians: Mark Schuller. 2012. Killing with Kindness: Haiti, International Aid, and NGOs
Books about the Haiti Earthquake by Anthropologists: Haiti After The Earthquake by Paul Farmer; Tectonic Shifts: Haiti Since the Earthquake. Edited by Mark Schuller and Pablo Morales

Pooja Bhatia: Help for Haiti (Douze Janvyè [January 12])
Jacob Kushner: Four years after the Haiti earthquake, what have billions in U.S. aid bought?
Bertin M. Louis, Jr.: #ShamelesslyHaitian on Haiti’s Independence Day (Also available in French here)
Greg Beckett: Moving Beyond Disaster to Build a Durable Future in Haiti; Is the United States Doing Enough for Haiti?
Elizabeth Chin: Anthropology Now Haiti Watch; Why Adopting Haitian Children is a Terrible Idea
Alex Dupuy: Foreign Help Actually Hurting Haiti
Paul Farmer: How to Stop Cholera in Haiti; Haitian Government Needs More Aid NECN.com; PBS News Hour; The New York Times
Jeffrey Kahn: Cut the Red Tape: Why Haitians Need Humanitarian Parole Now; Helping Haiti Help Itself; Relax the Caps for Haitian Visa Applicants
Jim Yong Kim: Dartmouth’s President, a Global Health Leader, Offers Perspectives on Helping Haiti Chronicle of Higher Education
Jonna Knappenberger: Cholera Cases and Questions in the North; Violence in Cap Haitien update; Milot’s Forgotten “Tent City”
Bertin M. Louis, Jr.: Studying Voodoo isn’t a Judgement USA Today article referencing essays.; Haiti’s Pact with the Devil? Some Haitians Believe This Too; The Hubert Smith Radio Show; WATE-6 News (Knoxville, TN); Tennessee This Week (Knoxville, TN); The Hubert Smith Radio Show/Haiti: One Year After the Earthquake
Elizabeth McAlister: Voodoo’s View of the Quake in Haiti; Devil’s Logic: Behind Pat Robertson’s Blame Game; Haiti’s Musical Traditions, Past and Present; Elizabeth McAlister on Hope and Tragedy; Voodoo Brings Solace to Haitians; Why Does Haiti Suffer So Much?
Sidney Mintz: Whitewashing Haiti’s History
Jemima Pierre: Bill Clinton Loves Haiti; The Dominican Republic Hates Black People; Don’t Blame Repbulicans for Obama’s Actions in Haiti; How to Help Haiti; Our Failure On Haiti; The Politics of Rebuilding Haiti CounterSpin interview; The Puppet, the Dictator, and the President: Haiti Today and Tomorrow
Karen Richman: Mass Graves May Have Lasting Spiritual Impact in Haiti; Run From the Earthquake, Fall Into The Abyss: A Léogane Paradox
Nina Glick Schiller and Georges Fouron: Killing Me Softly: Violence, Globalization, and the Apparent State
Bill Quigley and Amber Ramanauskas: Where the Relief Money Did and Did Not Go: Haiti After the Quake
Mark Schuller: “Chaos and Cholera: Haiti’s Message to the Tea Party (and the Rest of Us)”; Clearing the Rubble, Including the Old Plan for Haiti; Did you Drink Soup? Strains on Solidarity in Haiti; Falling