Human Relations Area Files

HRAF Global Scholarship Program 2019

As part of our philanthropic outreach efforts, the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) at Yale University is offering the HRAF Global Scholarship program which has been established with the goal of expanding access to eHRAF World…

The Return of the Comparative Method in Anthropology

Where Have All the Comparisons Gone?, a recently published series from the Society for Cultural Anthropology, revisits a longstanding topic in the social sciences: the debate over the value of comparative cultural studies. In this…

Pumpkins around the world

Pumpkins are typically associated with Halloween in the form of carved “jack-o-lanterns” and, especially in the United States, with pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. But around the world, pumpkins have been an important food throughout the…

HRAF at Yale University Announces Community College Initiative

The Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) at Yale University is pleased to announce a new initiative to expand our engagement with community colleges. The HRAF Community College Initiative recognizes the important role of community colleges…

The Social Life of Cheese

There are few signifiers of culture more potent and recognizable than food. Edibles and cultural identity share a deep-seated connection. Food, and especially our preferences for preparing, cooking and eating it, are about far more…