Author Archives: Roberto J. González

Roberto J. González is chair of the anthropology department at San José State University. He specializes in science and technology, militarization, and the environment. He is author of several books, including "Connected: How a Mexican Village Built Its Own Cell Phone Network."
A farmer looks down at his phone on a green hill slope. He is standing on coffee plantations. In the background is the slope of another hill, with various plantations patched across the land.

Connectedness in a Time of Pandemic

Right now, many of us are reevaluating what it means to be connected. In the United States, we often think of connectivity as having wireless broadband service, or 5G mobile access. Our minds might conjure up images of Big Tech and Silicon Valley, where I teach. That’s especially understandable in a time of quarantines, social distancing, virtual schooling, and working from home. But the coronavirus pandemic has also prompted reflection on the salience of humanconnections, as we find ourselves suddenly separated from those we love—or else cooped up at home with them, day in and day out. (read more...)