AnthroCurrents August 3, 2017

Screenshot of Smithscape, an app developed by design & anthropology students at Smith College to find study spaces.

A case for applied anthropology PhDs.  The struggle is real.  Are you one of these PhDs? Do you have a master’s a decided not to get a doctorate?  We’d love to hear your stories.

Big data is thin.  Make it thick with ethnography.

A fun, ethnographic read about how cooking on open flames can teach you to trust your intuition.

An exciting application of user-centered design in anthropology classes.

Bonus: The best science accounts to follow on Instagram & Twitter.  Who are your favorite anthropologists to follow?  I mostly just follow my colleagues, professors, & AAA.

AnthroCurrents is a biweekly look at how the world sees anthropology. Add your comments below, or send tips and links on our contact page.

Follow us on Twitter (@NapaAnthro), Facebook (@NAPA.Anthro), or LinkedIn (National Association for the Practice of Anthropology).

Julia Wignall
Julia Wignall

2 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


    • Barry, thank you for your very thoughtful response to my question. I love that you’re digging into the roots of the applied anthropology profession. As a youngish practitioner, it’s fascinating to learn about the waxing & waning demand of professors through the decades. I look forward to Part 2 and I wonder how you will extend this history to recent PhD grads, their career challenges and the massive educational debt that many of these students have. I guess it’s a question of were they led astray in their pursuit for a PhD in anthropology and thinking that there would be academic jobs? What responsibility do their professors/mentors have to prepare them for this reality? What is the future of applied PhDs?

Skip to content