Units

Center of Cultural Anthropology

The Centre for Cultural Anthropology (CAC) of the ULB is specialised in the fields of religious anthropology, environmental anthropology, historical anthropology, cultural technology, and the study of material cultures. Its fieldworks are mainly situated in Africa, Asia and South America, both in rural and urban settings.

Projetcs

DevInc – Locals dealing with Developmental Incomes. An updated approach combining Anthropology of Economics and Social Economy (West & Central Africa).

This research project focuses on Development Incomes (DI), namely on financial amounts drawn from the exploitation of natural resources and allocated to riverine communities with a view to invest in sustainable development. The major objective is to assess social and economic impacts generated by DI projects which are financed by private companies from the sectors of mining, forestry and ecotourism in West and Central Africa.

Firstly, the research aims at knowing better about local strategies vis-à-vis DI, either at the level of household budgets or at that of DI management committees. Then, relying on the inputs from Anthropology of Economics and Social Economy as well as on the collaboration of local actors, researchers will tackle the construction of locally sound criteria/indicators of development and well-being. Apprehending development policy making through such a dynamic interplay with the communities will contribute to adapt policy practice.