Where can I learn about the history of HRAF?
You can learn more about our organization at About HRAF. Additional information about important dates and events in HRAF’s history can be found on our timeline. HRAF Timeline
Tag Archives: history
The Social Life of Cheese
There are few signifiers of culture more potent and recognizable than food. Nourishment and cultural identity share a deep-seated connection. Food, and especially our preferences for preparing, cooking and eating it, are about far more…
eHRAF World Cultures Celebrates 25 Years Online
It has been 25 years since the application known today as the eHRAF World Cultures database made its debut on the World Wide Web. The first online version of the eHRAF Collection of Ethnography was…
HRAF 2022 in Review & 2023 Preview
For our annual recap and preview, this article will summarize HRAF’s activities from the previous year as well as describe what you can expect to see from us over the next 12 months. eHRAF Updates…
Cheers to 30 Years! HRAF celebrates the contributions of Douglas Black on his retirement
The Human Relations Area Files announces the retirement of Douglas Avison Black, IT Team Leader and Software Application Developer. After an incredible tenure spanning over three decades, Doug will be greatly missed by all. His…
Culture and Tradition updates in the eHRAF databases
In January, HRAF shared an update which included projections for new cultures and traditions that we expected to add to the eHRAF databases in 2020. Below is a list of the cultures we have added…
Think you know HRAF? Check out our podcast series on Choice’s ‘The Authority File’
Have you ever wondered how the Human Relations Area Files got its name? Or how we organized our ethnographic collections for members before the Internet? HRAF has partnered with Choice’s podcast The Authority File to…
HRAF 2021 in Review & 2022 Preview
For our annual recap and preview, this post will summarize HRAF’s activities from the previous year, as well as describe what you can expect to see from us over the next 12 months. 2021 in…
Knowledge is power: anthropology of proverbs
Francine Barone Proverbs are a simple way of expressing a well-known truth or adage based on common sense or experience. They are usually considered to be imbued with ancestral wisdom, passed down from generation to…
Remembering Lévi-Strauss and pre-digital HRAF collections: A conversation with Bernadette Bucher
Editor’s note: The following post contains contributions from Bernadette Bucher, Professor Emerita of Anthropology and Comparative Literature, Fordham University. The early history of the Human Relations Area Files from 1949 in North America is public…