Natasha Shannon: Why I am an Anthropologist
Anthropology is the study of humans and culture, and, as such, it has an implicit global perspective. Everyone is a global citizen- one can hardly go to the corner store without participating in the global economy- and each person has a unique translation of their global citizenship into their daily lives. For me, I find my greatest global connections through anthropology. As a result of my family background, I was predisposed to be interested in the world outside my backyard from a young age. I grew up amidst an eclectic mix of people, food, music, and stories, filling me with a desire to travel and bring back stories of my own. This is exactly what I found at the University of Richmond, and my academic study of anthropology gave me a unique lens through which I could examine the people and culture of places that the university allowed me to explore. My fascination for culture continues to grow, and I plan to integrate it into whichever future career awaits me, for anthropology sharpens my ability to analyze not only the world around me, but also how the world influences me on a personal level, particularly in my role as a global citizen.