The Council on Anthropology and Education as a Crossroad Community: Reflections on Theory-Oriented and Practice-Oriented Research

Abstract

ture. As might be expected in this postmodern era, my reflections blend public and personal experiences. Some of my reflections have focused on conversations within the CAE. I have heard many colleagues express the view, in one form or another, that our field needs revitalization. In these discussions, colleagues have expressed differing opinions concerning our relationships with cultural anthropology and with educational research and practice. Some CAE members urge us to strengthen our connections with theory and research in cultural anthropology; others contend that we should strengthen our connections with practitioners. Often, these are treated as competing goals. Other reflections have focused on my students' research related to anthropology and education. In a graduate school of education, these students are primarily midcareer practitioners, most of whom continue to work full-time while pursuing graduate work. Some of my doctoral students have used anthropological theory and research for their dissertations, and have done solid and interesting work. However, because many continue as practitioners after earning their doctorates, very few have published from their dissertations. Masters-level research, too, is rarely shared beyond the class for which it is conducted. If, as I suspect, these patterns occur elsewhere, I wonder what is being lost to the field.