Dialogue Session -- Facing the Public: Professional Anthropology beyond Academia and Methodology

15th Annual Public Anthropology Conference  American University Saturday Oct 27, 2018 Mary Graydon Center, Room 247 2:30 pm - 3:50 pm

Organizers: 

Alexandra Sellassie Antohin, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.
Andrea Kim Neighbors, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center 

Abstract:

This open-format dialogue will discuss the role of anthropology for enhancing public-facing roles in the fields of education, public policy and governmental affairs. Motivated by a common refrain about the applied nature of anthropology, dominantly confined to iterations such as bio-medical research, consumer ethnographies, corporate relations, and now U/X design, how can we also attend to the more intellectual and interpersonal orientations to cultural difference that inform our work? How does consistent interactions and relationships with participants at museums, P-12 classrooms, policy sessions, formulate a less-acknowledged type of anthropological orientation that is distinct from the discipline's transferable skills and methodologies?

Oct 27 2018 Anthro Dialogue Session.pdf