Quotes:

The Law library is super cold. Those stupid girls. They wear the super short shorts, complain "hen2 len3 ah, hen2 len3 ah" [Translation: It's very cold]... The next day, the same girl complained again... I was thinking. "Huo2 gai1" [Translation: Serves her right]... She complained to the guy. I think the guy was thinking the same thing. (One wore those, then complained)

[On an example of a time fixed effect affecting the crime rate] The Coming of Christ

Questions [on the exam]? How am I? I'm fine, thank you.

[On technology making participant observation easier] It was easier to travel to Indonesia, or Morocco... than for people like Tylor, or Frazer, or Marx, though he probably wouldn't have been interested.

[On theoretical eclecticism] What was Marx? [Someone: Communist.] Was Marx a Marxist? It's possible he was not. Communist, maybe.

[On a 'childlike naivite and backwardness' and Intelligent Design] George Bush is not one of our theorists. Maybe I shouldn't put him in there. (naivete)

[On being inundated with exam enquiries via email] The second question is, 'What are the questions like?' Actually, that wasn't the question. It was more like, 'What are the questions?... Give me the questions, we'll all be happy'

[On spotting questions] What should I study? The basic answer is that you should study everything.

[On writing essay outlines in exams] It's not an official policy, but maybe if we see you planning your response, we'll go, 'Oh...'

[On how to kill trees in the interests of legibility] You can do double space... I don't think there's a limit on how many booklets you can use, is there?

[On exam FAQs] Administrative stuff. What do I mean? First of all, that you turn up.

No dictionaries. I trust in your vocabulary. You will have no problem whatsoever.

[Giving lame excuses for making the exam open book] You might become complacent... You will regurgitate material. It might affect your ability to craft a critical and thoughtful response.

[On exam hints] I feel kind of bad, spoiling the surprise for you.

[On recycling material for different essays during exams despite instructions against it] It will be quite impossible. The questions are very different... A lot of you are very creative, I know.

[On spotting theorists for the exam - 8 are taught in the course as a whole] Knowing 3 theorists is not enough. 4 - not enough. 5 - pushing it.

Midterm questions are still important. Especially the short answer questions. Maybe they'll show up again. Who knows? (Questions from the midterm)

I came up with this sort of question 1 year ago... It doesn't mean I will set this sort of question again. It depends on my mood.

I killed you once in the mid-term. Chances are smaller that I will give this question again... It's still possible.

You are the major (manufacturer)

This part is my surprise (surplus)

[Me on the NUS Business library closing: Where's the sleazy music? *Sleazy music plays* Oh yeah!]... You just need a saxophone. *Saxophone starts playing* *Laughter from group*

This is an interesting question. I hope it won't come out [in the exam]. Interesting questions should not come out.