Meet the Author Series | Ted Lowe, Associate Professor of Anthropology

Professor Edward D. Lowe’s presentation “Whatever I have to Do That’s Right: Culture and the Precariousness of Personhood in a Poor Urban Neighborhood”, was derived from a special issue of Ethos, Journal of the Society for Psychological Anthropology, of which he was co- Guest Editor, Sept. 18, 2018

Professor Lowe’s presentation highlighted the processes that led to the publication of a recent special issue of Ethos on the theme of “culture, personhood, and poverty” that he co-edited with Claudia Strauss (Pitzer College). Based upon years of fieldwork, involving a team of researchers and based upon both qualitative and quantitative data, Professor Lowe challenged notion of the “Culture of Poverty”, arguing that the behavior of the urban poor is consonant with normative behaviors found in mainstream society.  In his presentation, Professor Lowe also emphasized his most recent publication was part of an ongoing dialog with colleagues around the world and students and colleagues at Soka University of America. He also acknowledged that his research has been greatly facilitated by the support for faculty teaching and scholarship that the university provides.

Professor Lowe shared his work with members of the Soka Community on November 14, 2018, in the Athenaeum Library.

Photo Courtesy of University Archivist and Photographers.