The Human Show: Innovation through Social Science
This podcast explores how social scientists study human behavior and how industry innovates by working together. Hosts engage with anthropologists, researchers, and industry specialists worldwide to discuss their work in understanding people and applying that knowledge to advance industry, scholarship, and societal goals. It is aimed at professionals in business and academia, students, and anyone interested in the topic.
Episodes
Safa Mirror: on letting go and letting come and the pursuit of a life lived in artistic service
Safa Mirror is a trans-disciplinary artist, researcher, and Tarotière, delving in the intersections of art, magick, and mysticism. Her research focuses on analyzing, deconstructing, and contextualizing Middle-Eastern mystical traditions, alongside Western esoteric practices. As a performer, she utilizes her research to decipher, translate and perform the mystical Persian poetry of Rumi, Hafez, Nas
Ginie Servant-Miklos: on the art of messy dreams, how to realize them, and the journey of making and unmaking oneself in the process
Ginie Servant-Miklos is an engaged environmental educator with fifteen years of experience in education practice, research, and advocacy. She currently holds an Assistant Professorship in behavioural sciences at the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Her research and education work focuses on developing innovative pedagogies for societal impact. She de
Francesco Bravin: on radical imagination, learning interventions and the cultivation of the non-judgemental mind
Francesco Bravin is a cultural anthropologist and the president and founding member of the Cultural Association Antropolis in Milan. He has a Bachelor's degree in Intercultural Communication at the University of Turin, a Master's degree in Anthropology at the University of Milan Bicocca and a PhD in Anthropology at the University of Genoa. He researched mainly in the field of anthropology of touri
The Arcana of Inquiry: Navigating Ethnography through Tarot as a Playful, Disruptive, and Subversive Practice
The Ethnographic Tarot Project intertwines the magic and mystery of tarot with the depth of anthropological inquiry. This initiative seeks to develop a distinctive tarot deck infused with ethnographic and anthropological themes, serving not only as a medium for reflection and divination but also as an innovative teaching tool aimed at enlightening students about the intricacies of ethnographic res
Dace Dzenovska: Social Anthropologist & Speaker at The Why the World needs Anthropologists, The Power of Isolation, 27-29th October 2023, Croatia
Dace Dzenovskais Associate Professor in the Anthropology of Migration at the University of Oxford and the Principal Investigator of the EMPTINESS project. She holds doctoral and master’s degrees in Social Cultural Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley, as well as an interdisciplinary master’s degree in Humanities and Social Thought from New York University. We are happy to have
Heli Rantavuo:Applied Cultural Studies and Social Sciences Researcher & Speaker at The Why the World needs Anthropologists, The Power of Isolation, 27-29th October 2023, Croatia
Heli Rantavuo is an applied cultural studies and social sciences researcher based in Helsinki. For the past 15 years, she has worked in the technology industry in London, Stockholm and Helsinki, contributing and leading research in product and market strategy at Spotify, eBay, Microsoft and Nokia. Before working in the industry, she was a researcher at Aalto University, School of Media and Art whe
Rafram Chaddad: Visual Artist & Speaker at The Why the World needs Anthropologists, The Power of Isolation, 27-29th October 2023, Croatia
We are happy to have Rafram with us speaking to his background as a visual artist and his experience and thoughts on isolation. In 2010, Rafram found himself imprisonedin Lybia. He spent 6 months by himself in an extreme isolation unit, not knowing whether he would live or die. In this conversation he explores questions such as: What does it mean to be free? What is the value of being with on
Erin B. Taylor & Melanie T. Uy: Anthropologists & Authors of Better Research, Better Design
Erin B. Taylor & Melanie T. Uy: Anthropologists & Authors of Better Research, Better Design: How to Align Teams and Build a Human-Centric Company Culture. Dr. Erin B. Taylor has a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Sydney and is the founder of Finthropology, a company specializing in insights into people’s financial behaviour. She specializes in how people’s financial behaviour is
Amina & Gabriela: Love letter to David Graeber
Amina Alaoui Soulimani is a doctoral research fellow at HUMA, the Institute for Humanities in Africa. Amina holds an MSc in Social Anthropology from the London School of Economics. Her current anthropological doctoral work at the University of Cape Town focuses on the ethics of care, AI, and the future hospital in Morocco.Gabriela Cabaña is a Ph.D. candidate at the LSE anthropology department
David Prendergast: Head of the Department of Anthropology, Professor of Science & speaker at the Why the World needs Anthropologists, Re|Generation 23-25 Sept 2022 Berlin
David Prendergast is Head of the Department of Anthropology and Professor of Science, Technology and Society at Maynooth University in Ireland. Previously David worked at Intel where he was a principal investigator at the ‘Technology Research for Independent Living Centre’ and co-founder of the ‘Intel Institute for Sustainable Connected Cities’. He has also served as Visiting Professor of Healthca
Katia Dumont: Speaker- Why the World needs Anthropologists, Re|Generation 23-25 Sept 2022 Berlin
Katia Dumont: Anthropologist, regional network organiser for SE Europe, BMW foundation & speaker at the Why the World needs Anthropologists, Re|Generation 23-25 Sept 2022 BerlinKatia Dumont is a Regional Network Organizer for Southwestern Europe for the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt. Prior to joining the Foundation, she was a consultant for foundations and social enterprises in venture philant
Sophie Strand: writer and academic cross-contaminator
Sophie Strand: writer and academic cross-contaminator: on the ways we can improvise in academia and beyond.Sophie Strand is a writer based in the Hudson Valley who focuses on the intersection of spirituality, storytelling, and ecology. But it would probably be more authentic to call her a neo-troubadour animist with a propensity to spin yarns that inevitably turn into love stories. Her first book
Rebecca Price: Designer and Teacher: On Mentorship, Resilience and the Importance of keeping Fundamental Drives in Focus
Rebecca Price is a researcher and assistant professor at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering at the Delft University of Technology where she investigates how design can advance sectors and industries through multi-leveled and networked innovation. Educated and practiced as an industrial designer, Rebecca was quickly drawn to the strategic potential of design as a source of resilience
Pavel Cenkl, Head of Schumacher College: On Ecological Approaches and Embodied Learning Practices in Higher Education
Pavel Cenkl is currently the Head of Schumacher College and Director of Learning at Dartington Trust, Devon, England and previously he held the position of Professor of Environmental Humanities and Associate Dean at Sterling College, Vermont. Pavel holds a Ph.D. in English and is the author of many articles, chapters, and two books. He has always been drawn to colleges and universities whose curri
Vito Laterza, Anthropologist and Political Analyst: on the importance to foster analogue forms of life in an age of Pervasive Digitalization
Vito Laterza is an anthropologist, development scholar and political analyst. He holds a MPhil in Social Anthropological Research and a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Cambridge. Vito is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Global Development and Planning, University of Agder, Norway, where he also leads the Digitalization and Sustainability focus area at the uni
Désirée Driesenaar, Connector of Dots: on Regeneration and Nature Based Innovations
Désirée Driesenaar is an innovation activist, blue economy specialist, storyteller as well as external expert for the European Commission. After years of working in the corporate world as a commercial manager and B2B marketer, in 2014 Desirée went for a holistic shift and became an entrepreneur for a regenerative future. In search of purpose and sustainability, she developed a worldview of sy
Kathleen Asjes, UX researcher: Democratizing Research
Kathleen leads Research & Insights at Dreams, a Fintech company built on behavioral science that boosts financial wellbeing. She is a Dutch national currently based in Stockholm and has worked with UX research for over a decade. Her main interests are innovation and technology with social impact, always trying to connect the dots between people off- and online. Besides working at Dreams she al
Eric Garza, Scholar, Hunter, Carpenter & Community Server: On Ways to Connect, Navigate and Integrate Plural Worlds
Eric Garza is the founder and primary instructor at Quillwood Academy, an online institution of higher learning dedicated to helping people throughout the English-speaking world learn to navigate the changing world in which we all live. His background is diverse, spanning ecology and evolution, environmental science and policy, ecological economics, and systems thinking. Eric has also invested yea
Angelina Kussy: Engaged Scholar, Activist & Speaker at 'Why the World Needs Anthropologists, Mobilizing the Planet'
Angelina Kussy is an economic anthropologist from Warsaw and activist with Barcelona en Comú, the citizen platform governing Barcelona, working for municipalism and Fearless Cities. We are happy to have Angelina with us speaking to her background and current work. Angelina shares her views and dialectical relationship to activism & scholarship and takes us through the multiple projects she is cur
Cristina Flesher Fominaya: Sociologist, scholar & keynote speaker at the Why the World needs Anthropologists, Mobilizing the Planet
We are happy to have Cristina with us speaking to her background and current work. Cristina shares her views and relationship to activism and, as a scholar, the importance of balancing sympathy with a critical, analytical and self-reflexive research lens. What can an ethnographic perspective bring different than other research methods? What is the difference of applying ethnographic research to ac
Julienne Weegels: Anthropologist, Political Scholar & Speaker at the Why the World needs Anthropologists, Mobilizing the Planet 10-12 Sept 2021
Julienne Weegels is Assistant Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of Amsterdam’s Centre for Latin American Research and Documentation (CEDLA). Her research interests include violence, (in)security, memory-making, and criminalization. For this ethnographic project, she carried out 31 months of field research with Nicaraguan inmates, through two theater programs in two prisons (a s
Alex Khasnabish: Scholar Activist & Speaker, Why the World needs Anthropologists
Alex Khasnabish is a writer, researcher, and teacher committed to collective liberation living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on unceded and unsurrendered Mi’kmaw territory. He is a Professor in Sociology & Anthropology at Mount Saint Vincent University. His research focuses on radical imagination, radical politics, social justice, and social movements. His recent books include What MovesUs: The
Marcus Düwell, Simone Abram & Gunter Bombaerts: An Ethicist, an Anthropologist and an Engineer
Today’s episode is an experiment to stretch out disciplinary boundaries by paring up academic debates of philosophy & engineering (& of course anthropology). We are delighted to have with us academics & practitioners representing those different disciplines. What are the personal definitions of multidiscipinarity that make sense to Simone, Gunter and Marcus? We discuss proliferation of academic ou
Mark Vacher and Tom O’Dell: Ethnologists and Epistemic Educational Partners :
Mark Vacher is an associate professor of ethnology at the Saxo Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Tom O’Dell is a professor of ethnology at Lund University, Sweden, whose own research has primarily focused upon the cultural economy, the significance of mobility and transnational cultural processes. Mark and Tom have collaborated for many years on developing programs of applied ethnogra
Dr. Ferne Edwards: Cultural Anthropologist and An Activist Scholar
We are pleased to have Ferne with us talking about anthropology of food – a field that has been at the core of her research and professional focus for the last 17 years. How did food become Ferne’s topic? What were the drivers that moved her anthropological research from food, to sustainable city movements to political ecology? Ferne describes herself as an activist scholar and describes the way s
Min’enhle Ncube & Amina Alaoui Soulimani, HUMA: speakers at the Response-ability Summit 2021
We are happy to have Amina and Min’enhle with us sharing their research insights and pursuits as well as motivation to be part of the Reponse-ability Summit this May. They share the questions currently at the centre of their research. What does context mean for data mining and machine learning? How can we think of algorithms as main interlocutors of research? There is a general lack of locally pro
Mariliis Öeren, Behavioral Scientist & Speaker at the Response-ability Summit 2021
Mariliis Öeren is the Chief Scientific Officer at Method X Studios, a company focused on democratising good mental health and ending the mental health poverty gap. Previously she has worked for the National Institute of Health Development in Estonia implementing public health programs. Mariliis holds a PhD in Behavioural Science from the University of Cambridge and has been involved in the develo
Agnethe Kirstine Grøn, Senior Design Anthropologist and Speaker at the Response-ability Summit 2021
Agnethe Kirstine Grøn is a senior design anthropologist at Alexandra Instituttet in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is engaged in many aspects of user involvement and user-driven innovation and combines anthropological methodology and design processes to gain a deep understanding of end users and potentials / barriers for change. Agnethe is an expert in facilitating co-creation processes involving differ
Malé Luján Escalante & Luke Moffat, speakers at the Response-ability summit 2021: Ethics through Design
In light of the upcoming Response-ability Summit this May 20th-21st , we are excited to be talking to two of its amazing speakers – Malé and Luke – and find out what will they be bringing to the conference space and what expectations do they share. We discuss how to use creative ways to form a space of exchange and how to exercise ethics. What is the end of me and the beginning of someone else? We
Karen Boswall, filmmaker and visual anthropologist: on representation and agentive power of the camera lens
Karen Boswall is a filmmaker, ethnomusicologist, and visual anthropologist. Her audio-visual output includes individually authored and collaborative productions carried out in Nicaragua (1984), the United Kingdom (1986), Iraq (1993), Cuba (1995), Mozambique (1997-2018), Jordan (2014), Nepal (2016), and Brazil (2019).Between 1990 and 2007, she lived and worked in Mozambique as a musician, journalis
Tiffany Tivasuradej talks to Sawyer J. Lahr: Revolutionizing Research Through Digital Tech – New Perspectives from Asia
In today’s episode hosted by Tiffany, Sawyer shares his experience as a UX researcher working in Thailand and applying anthropological frameworks and practices for design and innovation projects. Digital technology is a new reality for both the researcher and the research participant, so how does it affect the research process and what to keep in mind when designing it? We fail as a user of digita
Tiffany Tivasuradej talks to Dr. Nicholas Teo & Oshin Siao Bhatt: on anthropological mindset and ethnographic practices in Asian context
We are excited to have Tiffany hosting the episode today and sharing her experience of conducting ethnography outside of academia in the Asian context together with Nicholas and Oshin. As a colonial discipline in its origins, anthropology inevitably carries the Western gaze, something of which to be cautious in the day-to-day research. Is there a need for a framework, methods and a way of thinking
Jennifer Cearns: On Unique Combinations of Skills and Ways to Reach Balance
In today’s episode we explore Jennifer’s multiple and equally strong yet seemingly unrelated careers. We ask how she balances the different skills needed and how she makes spaces for them inside herself? As a soprano, Jennifer is used to being in the spotlight, so we are curious how she manages to equally embrace the role of the silent observer. Being busy keeps Jennifer interested and thus allows
Wendy Gunn: on Research as a Future Making Practice
Wendy is a researcher in the field of design anthropology whose written work, research and design practices have contributed to the foundation of what we now perceive as design anthropology. She holds an MA and a PhD in Social Anthropology both at the University of Manchester. She taught at architecture department at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. From 2005-2017 she was Associate Profe
Mikko Koria; A Curious Person who Wears Many Hats: about Design, Interdisciplinarity and ways to reach Joint Meanings
Mikko Koria; a curious person who wears many hats: about design, interdisciplinarity and ways to reach joint meanings. Mikko Koria is; the Professor in Design Innovation and the Director of the Institute for Design Innovation at Loughborough University London, and Visiting Professor at Aalto University, Finland. He holds degrees in Architecture from University of San Paulo and Helsinki University
Simone Abram: Ethnography, Ethics in Energy Governance and Sustainability Challenges
Simone Abram is a professor of anthropology at Durham University where she is also a Director of the Durham Energy Institute, and is the current Chair of the Association of Social Anthropologists in the UK. She holds a BSc/MEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, an MSt and DPhil in Social and Cultural Anthropology. Simone’s research projects span across multiple fields and a wide range of i
Mary L. Gray & Elizabeth J Chin: On the concept of fellowship, collective dreaming and ability to transform a conflict into a conversation
In today’s episode, we reflect on the concepts of community and fellowship in the world of those practicing anthropology. We ask Mary and Elizabeth about the relationship that they have with their discipline and the community of practitioners within it. What do they feel they need from colleagues, critics and journals – all of which form the axis of the anthropological community? How to be excell
Annemiek van Boeijen: Good Design comes from acknowledging Diversity in all its facets
Today we are talking to Annemiek about her experience with multidisciplinary. How did it happen that a designer with an engineering background started weaving anthropological perspectives into her approach to design? What ignited her turn towards a culture sensitive design? What does it take to design for a diverse society?. She also elaborates on the importance of combining a curious mind with a
Mary L. Gray: Senior Principle Researcher at Microsoft Research: The role of a knowledge translator through anthropological perspectives
Mary L. Gray is a Senior Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research as well as an E.J. Safra Center for Ethics Fellow and Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society Faculty Affiliate at Harvard University. Mary also maintains a faculty position in the School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering with affiliations in Anthropology and Gender Studies at Indiana University.Prior to that, Mary
Lisa Talia Moretti: Digital Sociologist - Anthropology+Technology Conference 2020, Smart Cities Stream
Lisa Talia Moretti is an award-winning digital sociologist, strategist and tech ethics activist based in London. She currently holds the position of Head Of User Research at Methods. For more than a decade, she’s studied and written about the relationship between technology, information and society. Lisa is an Associate Lecturer at Goldsmiths (University of London) and at Cardiff University. She i
Rachel O’Dwyer and Erin B. Taylor: On Art & Money, Surveillance Capitalism and the Ideal Research Centre
Rachel O’Dwyer is a lecturer in Digital Cultures in the School of Visual Culture in the National College of Art & Design, (NCAD) Dublin. Among other things she coordinates modules on Economies of Culture and Digital Cultures and teach electives on topics such as Art and Money, Tactical Media and the Politics of Algorithms and Networks. She is formerly a Media and Communications Research Fellow in
Nani Jansen Reventlow: Human Rights Lawyer & Keynote Speaker Anthropology + Technology Conference 2020
Nani Jansen Reventlow is a human rights lawyer who specializes in freedom of expression and strategic litigation. She is also the founding Director of the Digital Freedom Fund, which supports partners in Europe to advance digital rights through strategic litigation. Nani is a Lecturer in Law at Columbia Law School, Adjunct Professor at Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government, a Senior F
Rasmus Thomsen: Partner and Design Director of IS IT A BIRD & speaker at Anthropology+Technology Conference 2020, Smart Cities stream
Rasmus Thomsen is Partner and Design Director of IS IT A BIRD - a strategic innovation agency that combines methods from social science, behavioral economics and design thinking. Rasmus has a foot in both social science and design. He is an innovation geek, with a mind tuned to design thinking. He works at the forefront of development, with a critical understanding of the forces behind disruption,
Rosalie Post in conversation with Dan Wu: On ethical AI, inclusive governance and ideal future cities
Dan Wu is the CEO and lead innovation advisor of Joyful Ventures, empowering social impact executives to create financially sustainable, high-growth ventures. With a unique blend of Silicon Valley expertise and Harvard-level insights, he has successfully led product teams at mission-driven startups. Dan's work on inclusive communities and responsible nnovation ha
Susan Halford: on multidisciplinarity, the making of socio-digital futures, their challenges and opportunities
Susan Halford is Professor of Sociology and co-Director of Bristol University’s new Digital Futures Institute, which aims to use social science expertise and methods to analyse and understand digital technology futures in the making and use insights to help shape these futures in a way that is fair, just and prosperous for all. A Geographer by training and a Sociologist for 30 years, for the past
A glimpse into the process: the making of long-term projects with anthropologist Sarita Fae Jarmack
Sarita Fae Jarmack is an anthropologist currently exploring the politics of access, expression, and knowledge within the postcolonial art scene of South Africa for her PhD at the University of Amsterdam. We are talking to Sarita about the making of her PhD and get a glimpse into all the processes that happen on the way, which as she herself admits, are rarely given visibility. Sarita shares how sh
Kadija Ferryman & Laura Sobola - HealthTech Stream: on multidisciplinary collaboration and AI and Machine Learning in Health
In today’s episode, Laura leads the discussion with a number of questions for Kadija about AI, machine learning, ethical decisions, fair health and the complexities that underline it all. Kadija’s research tackles health disparities through data and aims to make it is more inclusive and ethical. As Laura points out, data is easy to interrogate but how to get at those answers that could lead us to
Chui Chui Tan: Cultural Strategist and UX Consultant: Innovation grounded in culture, historical context and a holistic approach
Chui Chui Tan is a cultural expert with more than 15 years of experience in UX (user experience). Her experiences range from defining business strategies to building a UX team within the organisation to implementation (research and design) and continuous consultancy support as well as training and coaching. She graduated from mechanical industrial engineering, and later pursued a Master in Musical
Diana Finch and Erin B. Taylor, Anthropology + Technology Conference 2020, FinTech stream
Diana Finch has been Managing Director of Bristol Pound since July 2018. Prior to that, she spent most of the last 20 years working in senior leadership positions in the non-profit sector, in areas including the environment, adult social care and psychotherapy training. Her earlier career was in accounts management and accounting systems design. She is a fellow of both the Finance Innovation Lab
Capsule Episode Conference: Dawn Walter, Anthropology + Technology Conference 2020
The Anthropology + Technology Conference brings together 22 leading international experts from the social sciences and technology to champion and promote the benefits of responsible AI, and to highlight the value that the social sciences bring to tech and business. There are three streams for 2020: smart cities, fintech, and health tech. Our 2020 keynote is Nani Jansen Reventlow, a human rights la
Henrique Parra & Ricardo Teixeira, amplifying the debate: The role of scientists and social scientists in times of uncertainty
[ Notice: This episode is in Portuguese. As a way of letting the interviewees express themselves fully and also to amplify the access to Brazilians, this session was recorded in the interviewee’s native language. Thus, Andrea Rozenbaum, a Brazilian anthropologist, is also joining us in this episode as a co-host. A transcript of the episode in English can be found in the podcast’s website. ]EN Hen
EN Henrique Parra & Ricardo Teixeira, some perspectives on how Brazil is facing the pandemic: From the health care system to smart technology
[Notice: This episode is in Portuguese. As a way of letting the interviewees express themselves fully and also to amplify the access to Brazilians, this session was recorded in the interviewee’s native language. Thus, Andrea Rozenbaum, a Brazilian anthropologist, is also joining us in this episode as a co-host. A transcript of the episode in English can be found in the podcast’s website]In times o
Jamie Gordon: Chief Disruption Officer* at The Mighty Shed: on the role of social scientists in business and the ways empathy can serve both business and humanity
Jamie Gordon is a social scientist and consultant whose body of work includes a couple of decades worth of insights and strategies that have been put into action by a global community of brands, corporations and the agencies that serve them. With a B.A. in Anthropology and a M.A. in Applied Sociology both from the University of Central Florida, Jamie has extensively implemented ethnography in the
The Open Anthropology Lab: a mediating space between academic and applied anthropologies
ENEl Laboratorio de Antropología Abierta (The Open Anthropology Lab) or LAAB is a non-profit organization for the popularization of anthropological knowledge beyond academia. Founded in 2018 by Giselle Figueroa De la Ossa, who after receiving her MSc in Anthropology from The London School of Economics returned back home to Colombia and decided to create a platform opening anthropology for public d
Simon Lex: Business and Organizational Anthropologist: on the design of social practice imaginaries
In today’s episode we explore together with Simon the topic of designing applied anthropology courses and industry/academia collaboration. What are the challenges when designing such courses? How does Simon avoid dilemmas an anthropologist might face working with the corporate world and what methods and principles does he embrace to ensure that all parties involved benefit from the applied researc
Gary Sigley: Cultural Routes and Chinese Modernity
Gary Sigley is a scholar of global studies with China as primary focus. His research focuses on cultural and social transformation in a rapidly changing China, with an emphasis at present on China's southwest region (Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou and Guangxi). He approaches the study of China informed by the knowledge and practice of history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology and cultural studies. Ov
Laura Vardoulakis, Lead UX Researcher at Google Health
Laura Vardoulakis a human-computer interaction researcher, passionate about technologies that help people live happier, healthier lives and currently leads User Experience Research for Google Health. She holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from Northeastern University, where she later received her PhD in Computer Science on Human-Computer Interaction Concentration. Prior to Google, her r
Kay Firth-Butterfield: Head of AI and Machine Learning at the World Economic Forum
Kay Firth-Butterfield is the Head of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at the World Economic Forum. Prior to taking this position she was Executive Director of AI-Global and led the Ethics Advisory Panel of Lucid.ai. Kay has advanced degrees in Law and International Relations and has worked for the past three decades as a barrister, mediator, arbitrator, business owner, professor and ju
Marc K. Hébert, Anthropologist & Director, Innovation Office, San Francisco Human Services Agency: policy + tech + design + data
Marc co-founded the Innovation Office in San Francisco government’s social services agency. He gets to lead an internal team that does service design, systems design, visual design and design research. They serve as internal consultants, co-creating digital and non-digital service experiences in the pubic sector. He received the Edmund Hillary Fellowship in October 2019, allowing him to work in Ao
Anthropos with Indra Lukošienė and Ugnė Starkutė: on Anthropology in Lithuania and the Mediating Role of the Applied Anthropologist
Today Corina and Maria talk to Indra and Ugnė about the applicability of anthropological methods and social science research in its broader sense in a context that is not often talked about – the Baltic states - and particularly Lithuania where Anthropos is taking its initial steps in popularizing ethnography and introducing to the public the many forms and shapes of anthropology. We ask today‘s g
Dr. Suzanne Wertheim, Linguistic Anthropologist and CEO & Founder of Worthwhile Research & Consulting: on how to tackle bias in product development
Dr. Suzanne Wertheim is the CEO and Founder of Worthwhile Research & Consulting. Through the foundation of the research and consulting firm, she strives to address not only academic but also practical problems in business by actively being involved at the intersection of technology, computer science, and linguistic anthropology. She received her Ph.D. in Linguistics from UC Berkeley, and held facu
Gemma John: Anthropologist and Applied Researcher in Built Environment: on the obligation to create social value and the new opportunities social scientists can embrace
Gemma John is an anthropologist and applied researcher creating social value in the built environment. She holds an MA in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of St Andrews. After 10 years in academic research, in research and teaching roles at Edinburgh and Manchester, she has spent the last 5 years applying her knowledge and sk
Morten Nielsen, Speaker at the Why the World Needs Anthropologists Oct 25th-27th 2019, Sustaining Cities: Urban Orders, when the city models itself
Morten Nielsen is a social anthropologist working in Mozambique, Scotland and USA on the interrelationship between time and materiality. Since November 2018 he has been based at the National Museum of Denmark where he is a senior researcher.In 2015, Morten Nielsen founded the Urban Orders Reseach Center, a transdisciplinary research center based at Aarhus University, Denmark, which focuses on popu
Capsule Episode Conference: Pardis Shafafi, Convenor WtWnA 2019: Sustaining Cities, October, 25th – 27th Oslo, Norway
The symposium Why The World Needs Anthropologists, Sustaining Cities is an annual event organized by The Applied Anthropology Network of the European Association of Social Anthropologists. The network provides a platform for sharing information and experience regarding the applications of anthropology and focuses on the transfer of anthropological knowledge to private and public sectors and to pro
Nicole Rigillo and Jason Stanley: Research Fellow and Design Research Lead at Element AI: challenging the distinction of social and non-social science
Today we talk to Nicole and Jason about their rather different professional paths which led them both to Element AI – a global artificial intelligence solutions provider. What sparked our interest in the interview is that Element AI has become the space in which social scientists thrive and we wanted to find out why. We were curious to know how Nicole and Jason engage in the same work bringing div
The PEOPLE project: a learning experiment that helps redefine roles within academia and industry.
PEOPLE (People-Centred Development in Practical and Learning Environments) is an international 3-year EU program aiming to enhance university-business cooperation. The project focuses on the mismatch between qualifications gained by humanities and social science students and skills expected from graduates by employers in industry, particularly in the fields of anthropology, psychology, sociology,
Roelof Pieters: Anthropologist & Hacker - on the hacks that can make social scientists’ lives more creative
Roelof Petersis one of the leading AI visionaries and developers in Europe. His academic and professional interests combine software development and digital humanities, his research stretches from history and social movements to creation of new learning tools in computer science. Roelof has degrees in Computer Science from University of Amsterdam and Cultural Anthropology from University of Leiden
Gloria González Fuster, Research Professor: on privacy, data protection and “the normal” human
Gloria is a Research Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)’s Faculty of Law and Criminology and Co-Director of the Law, Science, Technology and Society (LSTS) Research Group, and a member of the Brussels Privacy Hub (BPH). She investigates legal issues related to privacy, personal data protection and security, and teaches ‘Data Policies in the European Union’ at the Data Law option of
Joanna J Bryson: Academic Expert in Artificial and Natural Intelligence
In today’s episode we talk to Joanna about AI from a rather philosophical prism, on ethics and much more. Joanna questions the separation between different machines and the special treatment AI receives. She calls for the reconsideration of human awareness of ethics itself, of understanding why we are obliged to each other, which could then make it easier to define and design any obligations towar
Capsule Episode Conference: Erin Taylor and Rita Denny, Agency in Applied Ethnography - An EPIC EthnoBorrel
EthnoBorrel and the University of Amsterdam are running a one-day event in Amsterdam, parallel to the annual conference of the Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Community (EPIC). The purpose of the conference is to build connections with our fellow ethnographers and explore issues specific to the European context.
Today, the profile of ethnography in European industry is growing rapidly. Here in the
Nayantara Sheoran Appleton: Feminist Medical Anthropologist: Gendered technologies and unintended logics
Nayantara Sheoran Appleton is an interdisciplinary scholar with training in Feminist Medical Anthropology, Science and Technology Studies (STS), and Media Studies. She holds a PhD in Cultural Studies from George Mason University, a MSc in Communication Studies and a BA in Communication and Journalism from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, USA. She was a postdoctoral fellow in the Anthropolo
Tricia Bruce, PHD, sociologist and affiliate of the University of Notre Dame’s Center for the Study of Religion and Society: On technology, Twitter, responsibility, social movements & social change
Tricia Bruce, PHD is a sociologist and affiliate of the University of Notre Dame’s Center for the Study of Religion and Society. Her work intersects the sociological and cultural implications of religion, social change, social movements, immigration, race, and culture. Dr. Bruce is a regular television and radio commentator on a wide variety of contemporary sociological and topics including religi
Mireille Hildebrandt, a lawyer, philosopher and professor at Radboud Universiteit & Vrije Universiteit Brussels
Mireille Hildebrandt, a Professor of ‘Interfacing Law and Technology’ at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, of ‘ICT and the Rule of Law’ at Radboud University (the Netherlands), is a lawyer and philosopher whose main research is concerned with the functioning of the rule of law in cyberspace. Her extensive intellectual interests in ethics are rooted in her academic background in criminal and constitution
Simon Roberts, anthropologist and Partner at Stripe Partners: embodiment and the role our bodies play in the technological world
In this podcast, we talk with Simon about embodiment and embodied knowledge, a pivotal concept in his commercial work and his forthcoming book. Many of Simon’s interests and projects revolve around the connection between humans and technology, and he questions the idea that technology undermines our humanity. Simon calls for more acknowledgement of the critical role that the body plays in how we m
Capsule Episode Conference: Geke van Dijk, GOOD19 (Great Outdoors of Design) Conference, on Considerate Transformation
This conference brings together design researchers from various backgrounds (including anthropology) from around the world to explore how best to contribute to real and meaningful change in organisations, in economies and within societies. The conference is initiated and hosted by the Reach Network, a global network of agencies specialising in human-centred design research and service innovation.
Mike Youngblood: Design Ethnographer and Cultural Strategist
Mike Youngblood is a cultural anthropologist working at the nexus of social science and human-centered design. He is the chief conspirator behind The Youngblood Group, an innovation consultancy focused on reimagining critical products, services, and systems to foster equity, social justice, and environmental sustainability. He has conducted ethnographic work with people around the globe—including
Sarah Pink: Professor of Design and Emerging Technologies: ethnographies on human futures
Sarah Pink is a design anthropologist, researcher, consultant and thought leader, whose work focuses on scholarship and intervention in the fields of technology design, digital technologies in everyday life and design for wellbeing. She is currently Director of the interdisciplinary Emerging Technology Research Lab at Monash University. Sarah’s work engages with contemporary issues and challenges
Capsule Episode Conference: Anna Berza, Anthropologist and Co-Organizer Why Romania Needs Anthropologists: On Mental Health
In today’s episode we are joined by Anna Berza, founder and president of Asociația Inițiativa pentru Antropologie Utilă (Romanian Initiative for Useful Anthropology) and co-organizer of the conference to discuss WRNA 2019, its current theme and panels on the topic of Mental Health.
This conference is a satellite event of the well-known annual international symposium “Why The World Needs Anthropolo
Jeffrey Greger, UX Researcher Varo Money Inc.: from architecture to (industrial) design to applied anthropology & back again
Jeffrey Greger, UX Researcher at banking startup Varo Money, has a background in both design and anthropology with a BA in Industrial Design and recently completing an MA in Applied Anthropology at San Jose State University. His thesis research explored the challenges, opportunities, and ethical issues design professionals encounter when developing banking services with low-income communities in t
Julien Cornebise, Director of Research, AI for Good at Element AI: the ethics, scarcity and drive for purpose of AI and the humans that build it
Julien Cornebise is a Director of Research, AI for Good at Element AI and head of the London Office. He is also an honorary researcher at University College London. Prior to Element AI, Julien was at DeepMind (later acquired by Google) as an early employee, where he led several fundamental research projects used in early demos and fundraising. After leaving DeepMind in 2016, he worked with Amnesty
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