HRAF continues to roll out our newest feature for the eHRAF databases, Research and Learning Hubs. These hubs aggregate materials on anthropological topics and provide guidance to assist with research and teaching.

In our newest feature, the Architecture Hub for eHRAF Archaeology, we visually display traditions currently included in the eHRAF Archaeology database with links to their tradition profiles as well as important subject categories relevant to the topic.

We also include relevant materials from our Explaining Human Culture database, as well as links to all the supported hypotheses included in that database.

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 additional Research and Learning Hubs over the upcoming academic year.

Click here to read about Research and Learning Hubs

Please join us for one of our upcoming workshop hosted by Matthew Longcore, Ph.D. which will provide an informative overview to teaching and conducting research using the eHRAF databases. Register here:



Thursday, Sep. 17, 11am ET

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1 pm ET

Thursday, Nov. 5, 1 pm ET 

Wednesday, Dec. 2, 11 am ET

These workshops are designed for faculty members and librarians at colleges that have memberships with the eHRAF databases, or those who are interested in learning more about membership.

HRAF has developed resources to support teaching, learning, and research across the social sciences and beyond. We will explore Teaching eHRAF, our collection of ready-to-use exercises and syllabi that make it easier to integrate eHRAF into classrooms and curricula. These materials are designed to help instructors engage students with cross-cultural comparison, ethnographic case studies, and hands-on data analysis. We will also demonstrate the eHRAF Workbooks for introductory courses in cultural anthropology and archaeology with activities to engage students.

Click here to read about the eHRAF Workshops

National Nonprofit Day (NND) is commemorated each year on August 17th to recognize the positive impacts that nonprofit organizations have on communities and the world. Show your support by making a donation to HRAF in honor of #NationalNonprofitDay.

HRAF is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. Your generous contribution will support our funding priorities such as the HRAF Global Scholars Program and the development of our open access resources (Explaining Human Culture, eHRAF Workbooks, Teaching eHRAF, and our online introductory course for comparative and cross-cultural research.)

Click here to donate to the Friends of HRAF

HRAF is pleased to welcome two new Melvin Ember Interns for 2026-2027. The intent of the internship is to learn about cross-cultural research through practical experience. The interns will help Carol Ember prepare topical modules summarizing cross-cultural research in Explaining Human Culture. The interns will read and analyze recent cross-cultural research with the goal of summarizing materials and will also participate in on-going cross-cultural research projects.

Victor de Munck graduated from Leiden University with a B.A. in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence and a minor in Chinese Society. Alex Knickrehm graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Anthropology & Biology.

Click here to read about the HRAF Melvin Ember Interns