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Section: Social Anthropology
Neil Thin
- Name
- Dr Neil Thin
- Title
- Senior Lecturer
- Organisation
- Social Anthropology, School of Social and Political Science
University of Edinburgh - Address
- 5.27 Chrystal Macmillan Building 15a George Square Edinburgh UK EH8 9LD
- Telephone
- +44 (0)131 650 3880
- n.thin@ed.ac.uk
- URL
- http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/staff/social_anthropology/thin_neil
Office Hours During Semester
Tues 11.00-12.00 and Thurs 9.00-11.00
Research Interests
- happiness and social progress
- poverty
and education
- social development
- policy and planning
- human rights
- civil society
- forestry
and environmental change
- South Asia (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu)
- Africa (Rwanda)
- Indonesia
PhD Supervision
Interested in supervising students in areas related to: Social development; happiness; well-being
Biographical Statement
Neil Thin is a specialist in social planning with particular emphasis on the reduction of poverty and promotion of human rights in poorer countries.
He frequently serves as a social development adviser and trainer for international development agencies such as the UK Department for International Development and international NGOs.
He is a Director/Trustee of Practical Action [formerly Intermediate Technology Development Group] and of the Edinburgh Centre for Tropical Forests, and Adviser to the Scottish Executive International Development Programme. He is also Chair of Practical Action Publications (formerly ITDG Publications).
Selected Publications
2010? ‘Development as if happiness mattered: policy rhetoric and eudaimonic scholarship in Asia.’ Forthcoming in C. Brassard and T. Kusago [eds], Development Paths and Happiness: Alternative Frameworks in Asia. London: Routledge
2009, ‘Schoolchildren's wellbeing and life prospects: Justifying the universal tax on childhood’ University of Bath Well-being in Developing Countries Working Paper 09/46 http://www.bath.ac.uk/econ-dev/wellbeing/wedworkingpapers.htm
2009, ‘“Autres aptitudes et habitudes diverses”: éducation sentimentale et disposition au bonheur’. [‘“Any other capabilities and habits”: sentimental education and the capability for happiness.’] In Salomé Berthon et al (eds), Ethnologie des Gens Heureux. Cahiers d'Ethnologie de la France
2008, 'Good feelings and good lives: why anthropology can ill afford to ignore well-being', in Mathews, G. and C. Izquierdo, Pursuits of Happiness: Well-Being in Anthropological Perspective. Berghahn.
2007, '"Realising the substance of their happiness": how anthropology forgot about Homo Gauisus.' in A.Corsin Jimenez [ed], Culture and the Politics of Freedom: the Anthropology of Well-being. London: Pluto Press
2007, 'Schooling for Joy? Why International Development Partners Should Search for Happiness in the Processes and Outcomes of Education.' Paper presented to the Wellbeing in International Development conference, University of Bath, June 28-30, 2007. [Session: "Wellbeing and Development Policy and Practice"]
2006, Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations, Better Forestry, Less Poverty: A Practitioner's Guide Rome: FAO Forestry Paper 149 ISBN 92-5-105550-5
2005, ‘Happiness and the sad topics of anthropology’ University of Bath: Wellbeing in Developing Countries Working Paper No.10http://www.welldev.org.uk/research/workingpaperpdf/wed10.pdf
2002, Social Progress and Sustainable Development. London: ITDG Publications
2001, Branching Out: Joint Forest Management in India. Delhi: OUP (co-authored with Nandini Sundar and Roger Jeffery)
This page was published on 16 September 2009