Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology
The Field and the Classroom
The Field and the Classroom invites ethnographers to engage with critical and engaged pedagogies. Breaking down the barriers between fieldsite and lecture hall, this research cluster aims to interrogate the structures and values that shape anthropological and sociological education today.
The cluster’s foundational drive is to facilitate a space for speculating and co-developing teaching practices that build upon the principles of collectivity, generosity, and solidarity. In particular, The Field and the Classroom explores the entanglements between education and ethnography: both are transformative practices that can reinforce one another in eliciting more caring, situated, and collaborative learning spaces.
Parallel Sessions
Parallel Sessions is a gathering of CADS students and staff that aims to interrogate learning practices, asking ourselves "What kind of pedagogy do we need?" at this moment? We do collective reading sessions as well as occasional site visits to help build this solidarity, but in true DIY (do-it-yourself) spirit, we are also open to other ideas of how to make use of this space.
We meet every other month and invite teachers, researchers, professional staff, and students to join the workgroup. There’s no requirement to join all sessions. To join the email list, send a message to Sander Hölsgens (s.r.j.j.holsgens@fsw.leidenuniv.nl) and Siddharth Divakaruni (s.v.divakaruni@fsw.leidenuniv.nl).
Most recent parallel sessions
- 7 June 2026
Site visit: Nieuwe Instituut Rotterdam - FUNGI exhibitoin
- 30 April 2026: 13:30-15:00
Reading: Silvia Federici – Re-enchanting the World (2018)
- 17 March 2026 13:30-15:00
Reading: Rebekah Cordova – DIY Punk as Education: From Mis-education to Educative Healing (2016)
Cluster activities
We organise irregular workshops, design educational interventions, and make DIY publications. Our events and activities bring together practitioners across the arts, humanities, and social sciences to collectively provoke teaching practices inspired by or coinciding with ethnographic sensibilities. Students are welcome at our public events.
Past:
- 26 Sept, 10 Oct, 24 Oct, 7 Nov: Reading group for CADS Staff, “The Ethnographer’s Way”
- 26 February 2024: ‘Anthropology + Manifesto’ Workshop
- 26 September 2023: ‘Possible Titles - No Wrong Answers’ Workshop
