This paper is based on the book ”The Mushroom at the End of the World: on the possibility of life in capitalist ruins” by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing
Learning objectives
practice writing concise, interestin, and well-supported arguments within a limited page count.
practice deeply analyzing (a limited number of) ethnographic examples in order to ground theory in the concrete details of people’s lives.
develop a deeper understanding of the conceptual frameworks/ problems of the book as they relate to ethnography in the 21st century.
Essay prompt
how do the political implications of Tsing’s argument speak to problems and frameworks raised by other scholars? for example, how is life in ruins different from abolition?
Sample Solution
