Welcome to our reviews assistant Sophie who has been helping Reviews Editor Judith Beyer create lists of new exciting titles, proof read upcoming reviews and assist her with correspondence.
What interested you to come and work as a reviews assistant for Allegra, Sophie?
I think Allegra is an exciting platform for the publication of anthropological ideas and scholarship and is experimental in its approach. I completed my BA degree in Anthropology at Goldsmiths College University of London, known for it’s radical and creative environment/graduates and it is great to be in a similar habitat. I took a period off to focus on my daughter and when I wanted to get back into anthropology, assisting on the reviews section seemed a brilliant opportunity for doing this. I get to read reviews of the latest books being published in anthropology, learn about the new ideas and debates that are happening in the field and work with some inspiring, bright people – all from my home in leafy South London! I hope at some point to be able to re-enter the academic world and do an MA, but until then my Allegra work satisfies my need for all things anthropological.
What recent reviews have you been excited to work on?
I enjoyed reading Fiona Murphy’s beautifully written review of ‘How to Accept German Reparations’ and it bestowed a note of hope to the recent reports of the situation between Israel and Palestine. I’ve also enjoyed trawling through the internet looking for new publications for Allegra’s forthcoming reviews ‘list’, more on that to follow!
What is coming up in the reviews section that you are looking forward to?
I have just curated a new list of titles to be posted online in a few weeks on the subject of the anthropology of ‘Food’ to be linked in with our week on the ‘Body’. Humans construct their bodies through the consumption and (non)-consumption of food so these two themes go very well together. I don’t want to give too much away, but both are subjects that interest me greatly and I hope we will have lots of people lining up to review these books as we have had with the other lists. We also have a few special review sessions planned, where it will be intriguing to see what the different reviewers ‘read’ into the book.
