Study Abroad in Lemnos, Greece

Dr. Faidra Papavasiliou developed a new research project in Lemnos, Greece, which examines emergent alternative and activist responses to the Euro crisis, and traces the intersection of heritage and sustainability in the discourse and practices of local activists. The combined debt and Euro crises, and the highly problematic policies of austerity imposed throughout Europe are precipitating a rise in alternative mobilization, and particularly, grassroots solidarity economies and alternative agriculture initiatives. Dr. Papavasiliou focused on the ways in which localism and alternative globalization ideologies inform official and grassroots discourse and practice in Greece, with particular attention to how they are materialized in objects, especially agricultural seed varietals. As part of the participatory action methodology for this project, she consulted with grassroots organizations on alternative and solidarity-based production and exchange systems and gave videotaped and live lectures for community events, as well as two radio interviews on community economies. She presented parts of this work to the Modern Greek Studies Association conference and organized a panel on the topic of crisis at the AAA meetings in 2013.

In connection to her research, Dr. Papavasiliou created a new study-abroad program to introduce students to the anthropology of Greece through the lens of the crisis and its alternative responses that was offered for the first time in the summer of 2013.