Don Kulick

Don Kulick is a professor of anthropology at Uppsala University in Sweden and a leading scholar in linguistic anthropology, gender studies, and disability studies. His ethnographic work has focused on Papua New Guinea, Brazil, and Scandinavia. Kulick's most influential research examines language, sexuality and gender identity, particularly through his work with transgender sex workers in Brazil and his studies of language socialization in Papua New Guinea. His book "Travesti" (1998), about Brazilian transgender sex workers, is considered a landmark text in gender and sexuality studies. His more recent work has centered on disability rights and communication, including a decade-long study of a community in northern Sweden where he examined disability care and end-of-life experiences. This research resulted in the acclaimed book "A Death in the Rainforest" (2019), which explores language death and cultural change in Papua New Guinea. Kulick has made significant contributions to anthropological theory and methodology, particularly in developing approaches to studying sexuality and gender through the lens of language use. His work consistently bridges multiple disciplines, including linguistics, anthropology, gender studies, and disability studies.

Readers appreciate Kulick's anthropological writing for its honesty and detail in documenting language and sexuality across cultures. Multiple reviews commend his immersive field research methods and willingness to engage with complex cultural topics. Readers liked: - Clear presentation of research findings - Personal involvement in communities studied - Balance of academic rigor with readable prose - Treatment of sensitive subjects with respect Readers disliked: - Dense academic language in some sections - Limited broader context in case studies - High prices of academic press editions On Goodreads, Kulick's "A Death in the Rainforest" averages 4.2/5 from 226 ratings. "Language and Sexuality" holds 3.9/5 from 58 ratings. Amazon reviews align similarly. One reader noted: "Kulick immerses you in the village life while maintaining scholarly distance." Another wrote: "The theoretical framework can be challenging for non-academic readers, but the ethnographic details make it worthwhile."

Language Shift and Cultural Reproduction: Socialization, Self and Syncretism in a Papua New Guinean Village (1992) Examines language death and cultural change in Gapun, Papua New Guinea, focusing on how children are socialized into using Tok Pisin rather than the indigenous Taiap language.

Travesti: Sex, Gender and Culture among Brazilian Transgendered Prostitutes (1998) Ethnographic study of Brazilian travesti sex workers in Salvador, exploring their gender identity, social relationships, and daily lives.

Taboo: Sex, Identity and Erotic Subjectivity in Anthropological Fieldwork (1995) Collection of essays addressing how anthropologists deal with sexuality and erotic encounters during fieldwork.

Fat: The Anthropology of an Obsession (2005) Analysis of cultural attitudes toward fatness across different societies and historical periods.

Loneliness and Its Opposite: Sex, Disability and the Ethics of Engagement (2015) Comparative study of how Denmark and Sweden approach the sexual lives and rights of people with significant disabilities.

A Death in the Rainforest: How a Language and a Way of Life Came to an End in Papua New Guinea (2019) Chronicles thirty years of research in Gapun village, documenting the death of the Tayap language and the cultural transformations in the community.

The Anthropology of Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology (2017) Textbook covering fundamental concepts in linguistic anthropology and the relationship between language and culture.