With the launch of the new Hunter-Gatherers Hub in eHRAF World Cultures, HRAF has begun to roll out our newest feature for the eHRAF databases. Research and Learning Hubs aggregate materials on anthropological topics and provide guidance to assist with research and teaching.

For example, in our Hunter-Gatherers Hub, we include relevant materials from our database, Explaining Human Culture, including a summary module overviewing cross-cultural findings, as well as links to all the supported hypotheses included in that database. We also visually display the 59 hunter-gatherer groups currently included in the eHRAF World Cultures database with links to their culture profiles as well as important subject categories relevant to the topic.

To help users navigate and see how the eHRAF databases work, we provide a list of subjects from the Outline of Cultural Materials (OCM) that are most relevant to the topics of our Research and Learning Hubs. We provide sample searches and pointers to selected resources, both on our homepage and elsewhere. Finally, we provide strategies for conducting your own research project using eHRAF.

HRAF plans to launch the Architecture Hub for the eHRAF Archaeology database in August 2026. Additional Research and Learning Hubs will follow over the upcoming academic year.

Click here to read about Research and Learning Hubs

HRAF is pleased to announce that we now offer Enhanced Data Science services for researchers. Researchers at academic institutions with eHRAF membership, as well as those affiliated with small research institutes that have membership, can now apply to receive a selected set of text that meets Fair Use Guidelines for data analysis. In addition, HRAF will create a personal notebook on our servers for the research team.

We currently offer two options:

Option 1

A 15% sample of the entire eHRAF World Cultures corpus

Option 2

A set of text matching a few subject categories (OCMs) and/or keywords from eHRAF World Cultures

If you are interested, we can send you a sample Enhanced Data Science membership agreement that specifies the terms and conditions for text delivery and the type of data analysis services that are permitted. Note that this service is currently subject to additional dues.

All text delivery services will contain metadata for each search and retrieval element including information about the culture, the referenced document, and additional information that will allow researchers to narrow or filter to region or subregion, subsistence type, or samples. 

Click here to read about Enhanced Data Science

Television shows which explore the connection between food and culture continue to be enjoyed by viewers around the world.

The latest show to capture audiences is Best of the World with Antoni Porowski. The show’s host is a New York Times bestselling author, public speaker, and executive producer. Like its predecessor, Uncharted with Gordon Ramsay, this new show is produced by National Geographic.

A new article for HRAF by Matthew Longcore, Ph.D. explores the show's first episode which focuses on the food, architecture, and culture of Mexico City. Porowski states, "This is like a beautiful representation of cultures. It's food, but it's also a history of the people. It's the sights, the sounds." Chef Elena Reygadas expresses her thoughts, stating, "I think the most beautiful thing about cooking is to share."

Porowski visits two eateries owned by Reygadas, Rosetta Bakery to try their famous Guava Roll and Restaurante Rosetta to sample their corn and Huitlacoche tamales with smoked cream.

Porowski also visits the taqueria Maizajo to taste tacos prepared by Chef Santiago Muñoz.

The article demonstrates how more information about indigenous Mexican cuisine and cooking techniques, some of which date back to the ancient Aztec Empire, can be found in the eHRAF World Cultures and eHRAF Archaeology databases.

Click here for the Connection Between Food and Culture

HRAF is pleased to announce that we are accepting applications for the HRAF Global Scholars Program 2027.

This program provides scholars around the world with one year of free access to both of our databases, eHRAF World Cultures and eHRAF Archaeology.

Should further access be desired beyond the award year, memberships are available in our lowest dues category.

Our current cohort of HRAF Global Scholars includes four individuals representing Argentina, China, and the Philippines affiliated with these universities:

• Universidad de Buenos Aires

• Universidad Nacional del Nordeste

• Central South University

• University of the Philippines Manila

The application deadline is October 1, 2026. Awardees will be notified in December and access to the eHRAF databases will be granted for the 2027 calendar year.

Submit your application here.

Please share this post with any potential applicants. If you have any questions, contact Matthew Longcore, HRAF's Director of Membership and Outreach, at matthew.longcore@yale.edu.

Click here to read about the HRAF Global Scholars Program