What Is Our Anthropology Saying?

Reading about Empire, Nevada made me cry.

It also made me think of other examples of abandoned urban spaces and how people are finding ways to explore, appreciate and sometimes re-appropriate these structures

I recently read about a fifty level Thai skyscraper that's been abandoned for 14 years (thanks to Planetizen, my new favourite news feed) and often check out NoPromiseofSafety.com for unreal imagery of abandoned buildings or places where the public are not allowed (these are examples of a growing community of urban explorers that have discovered amazing sites, sounds and places in versions of our cities that most of us never dream of.)

These stories and images make me wonder how these apparently abundant abandoned spaces are forming the basis for some current and future anthropology of today. I've often said that I can't wait to find out what the history books are going to say about the time and space we're currently creating, but I'm starting to think that I won't have to wait. With all of instant history creation, decentralised information gathering and communication, I wonder if our modern-day bloggers and urban explorers are creating a sort of instant anthropology?

(And getting back to planning discussions, I wonder how may we think of these structural investments as assets to help mitigate the housing crisis and current demands for inner-ring suburban living?)

There are also a ton of great revitalization initiatives underway that are re-appropriating disused spaces for creative uses. Projects that I'm aware of in Geelong, Victoria (Australia), Newcastle, New South Wales (Australia), Fairbanks, Alaska are actively encouraging creative arts as well as economic ventures for locals.
Great revitalization initiatives are re-appropriating disused spaces for creative uses. Projects that I'm aware of in Geelong, Victoria (Australia), Newcastle, New South Wales (Australia), Fairbanks, Alaska are actively encouraging creative arts as well as economic ventures for locals.