The 2009 UN Climate Talks: Alternate Media and Participation from Anthropologists

The United Nations climate talks in Copenhagen during December of 2009 were surrounded by numerous side events. Some anthropologists and other social scientists at these events used the Web as a technology for reporting on activities as they occurred. The success of alternate publishing fora is difficult to gauge, but these weblogs reflect some of the difficulties faced by lone researchers in observing and reporting on large-scale meetings. Some geographers, in contrast, came to Copenhagen as part of an effort organized through the Association of American Geographers. Such a planned and collaborative process may be useful for anthropologists at future meetings.