Paparazzi Ethnography

11/6: Just returning now from a wonderful set of conversations with fellows and mentors of the Ciriacy-Wantrup Luncheon, Berkeley, in the Women’s Faculty Club. As usual, I arrive early for these events, getting a scoop on the scene — the arrangement of things.

We began the luncheon with standing introductions, but some of us were late, and while waiting, those who arrived at the appointed time got a chance to sit in some comfy chairs and exchange pleasantries about where each of us had just arrived from.

Ruxin Liu organized the event. She did a fabulous job, so polite and kind. We were all the better off for her having hosted the event. Raphael Calel had just flown in from London, where he finished his PhD in some kind of economics, it sounded very impressive. He hails from Sweden actually.

Hannah Appel and Louisa Lombard both attended from the Department of Geography. As we introduced ourselves, going around the table talking about our work, both Hannah and Louisa’s projects prompted quite a bit of discussion. Louisa, for example, works in Africa on land enclosure in the context of game reserves and safari parks. She hails from Norway originally.

Svenn Jensen, if not mistaken, is also from Norway. Actually, Svenn — economic modeler of uncertainties associated with climate change — is originally from Germany, but lived the past decade in Norway, before arriving to Berkeley.

Sven ordered the pasta:

The enjoying:

Salmon, non-farmed, caught in the sea:

Professor Lee Freedman sat at the head of the table. Nancy Peluso also joined us, which was kind. She is so intelligent. But Lee, at the helm, did have his say as well, and mentioned quite a few policy initiatives relating to carbon reductions that he instituted, or at the least, recommended to the State of California, which are just now under adoption by Governor Jerry Brown. One in particular, an annual carbon reduction dividend, caught my attention, because it seemed quite similar to the Alaska permanent fund dividend, though, of course, there are significant differences.

Actually, it was a warm welcome all around, and the luncheon closed, just as it began, with a final end of introductions, so interesting was each individual’s self-presentation.