Business Needs Anthropology More Than Ever, But May Not Know It

Business Needs Anthropology More Than Ever, But May Not Know It

Anthropologists are trained to find solutions to problems by approaching them holistically—from all sides—and through critical thinking, grounded in our theories and methods. Few disciplines prepare their practitioners so well to tackle the problems of the modern world by incorporating our broad knowledge of human evolution, history, biology, and behavior across the world’s cultures. Unfortunately, and to our discipline’s detriment, not enough people or businesses are informed of what anthropologists do and how we can help.

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AnthroCurrents June 7, 2017

If you haven’t yet, you should check out the new season of the Invisibila podcast.  The first 2 episodes feature Renato Rosaldo and his discovery of a new emotion. One anthropologist photographs the bathtub marys of Sommerville, Massachusetts. Business anthropologist Martha Bird shares her perspective on what anthropology brings to designing new technologies.  Do you…

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AnthroCurrents May 10, 2017

  Ever heard of neurodiversity?  Anthropologists are studying how workplace culture, norms and beliefs are changing to be more inclusive of autistic employees. Anthropologist T. N. Pandit shares a heartfelt reflection of regret by for his role in encouraging remote hunter-gatherer tribes of the Andaman Islands contact with the outside world. For those of you…

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AnthroCurrents March 15, 2017

Linguistic anthropologist Jena Barchas-Lichtenstein refutes the demonization of “filler words” such as “like” or “um”.  She outlines how these discourse markers matter for social interaction and that attempts to banish such words are really a bias against women and younger generations who are assumed to use them more frequenlty. Anthropology professor turned politician? While an…