On today’s episode Jessica hosts Dr. Jason De León, professor of Anthropology and Chicana/o Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. De León talks about how he found himself at a cross roads with traditional archaeology and completely changed his career to better match his values. We discuss his work with the Undocumented Migration Project, conducting archaeological, ethnographic, and forensic anthropology methods to better understand the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as his Hostile Terrain exhibition. We talk about the complicated ethics involved, civil disobedience in the face of injustice, representation, and what we can all do in the face of this structural violence. A fascinating look into how to use anthropology to address current issues in a new way.

LinksJason Patrick De Leon websiteDr. De Leon’s Twitter: @jason_p_deleonHostile TerrainUndocumented Migration ProjectThe Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail (Jason’s Book)Links to the Radiolab Border Trilogy featuring Dr. De LeónArticle about how companies are profiting from the detention campsContactJessicaJessica@livingheritageanthropology.org@livingheritageA@LivingHeritageResearchCouncilLyleLyle.Balenquah@gmail.com