Human Relations Area Files

Laissez les bon temps rouler: Mardi Gras and Cajun Traditions in eHRAF

Mardi Gras has become synonymous with the culture and lifestyle of New Orleans and southern Louisiana. “Fat Tuesday” or mardi gras in French, is the name given to the feast day that marks the onset…

Romantic or disgusting? Passionate kissing is not a human universal

From pop culture to evolutionary psychology, we have come to take kissing for granted as universally desirable among humans and inseparable from other aspects of affection and intimacy. However, a recent article in American Anthropologist…

Seeking Outreach Coordinator to Start July 2019

The Human Relations Area Files at Yale University, a member-supported anthropological organization, is seeking a full-time (or 30-hour a week) coordinator for outreach as well as design of educational and research materials to support faculty,…

Winter Solstice Celebrations Around the World

The Winter Solstice is upon us in the Northern Hemisphere. Marking the longest night and shortest day of the year, the hibernal solstice is an astronomical event that takes place when the Earth reaches its…

Surviving Winter Weather

Here in New England, a deep freeze has blanketed homes and streets with snow and ice this winter, making for treacherous and exhausting conditions including power outages, frozen plumbing and unending traffic congestion. With the…