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Office hours with Michele Wilson

Maya Lazaro
The Commuter

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Last week The Commuter had the opportunity to interview Michele Wilson, a professor of anthropology who has taught at Linn-Benton Community College for nearly 11 years.

Wilson is known by her students for her larger-than-life personality and humorous anecdotes relating her past experiences in the field. Her classes are memorable even to those who aren’t interested in becoming anthropology majors.

For those who don’t know, anthropology is the study of the origin, the behavior and the cultural development of human beings. This quarter Wilson is teaching one course on North American natives and another on comparative cultures.

Commuter: What got you interested in anthropology and archaeology?

Wilson: I like anthropology because it’s a whole degree that involves talking about people. I think it’s in my internal wiring to love gossip – I was always that kid who wondered what was going on in my neighbors’ yards. Basically, anthropology was the one little carrot that was dangled in front of me and I took it. It sounded fun, it was fun, and most importantly, it made me happy. As for [archaeology], my great-uncle had a tobacco farm, and his house was filled with plaques of arrowheads found on the property. That helped get me into it.

C: What’s your favorite thing about teaching anthropology and why?

W: I enjoy the interaction with students. It’s sort of like acting. Teaching forces me to constantly rethink what I’m doing. Students are savvy; they’re a lot smarter than we give them credit for. If you’re a good teacher, you can learn from your students. Teaching anthropology helps students see themselves in humanity, but also gives them opportunities to find places where life is shared. I want students to know that other voices exist out there that are just as important as history’s dominant voices. I like encouraging students to think outside the white view of the world, the male view, the Christian view.

C: What’s some of the most memorable fieldwork you’ve done?

W: I liked the work I did in Hawaii. It was a different culture and the excavation produced material objects that I’d never encountered before. I was in a whole new place trying to figure out what these things were, and who made them, and what they were used for. It was a challenge to me, and I like being challenged. I’ve had more stump moments throughout my career than “Aha!” moments.
I also met my partner on that trip, so …

C: What’s one of the most interesting artifacts you’ve found during an excavation?

W: The most common misconception about anthropology is that it’s going to be like some Indiana Jones thing. No, I’ve never found the lost ark. To me, anything that somebody hasn’t touched in a really long time is the coolest thing.

C: What advice do you have for someone interested in becoming an anthropologist or archaeologist?

W: Be brave enough to be an anthropologist. There are too many forces out there telling students not to go into this field because it’s not medicine, it’s not business, it’s not engineering – not all these things that are recognized in our society. If you tell your mom you’re going to be an anthropologist, she’s either going to cry or ask, “What is that?” Students need to know that anthropologists are in as much demand as doctors in many parts of the world. We are the cultural brokers; we’re present in any context of understanding other cultures.

Where to find Michele Wilson
Office: SSH-204
Phone: 917-4835, press 1
E-mail: wilsonm@linnbenton.edu
Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday, 2:30-3:30 p.m.

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