For any listeners of my Anthropology in Business or Anthro to UX podcasts, I recently wrote a piece for the Journal of Business Anthropology titled Business Anthropology, Podcasting, and the Pandemic. It discusses why I decided to create two podcasts during the pandemic, and what opportunities podcasting offers business anthropologists.  Download the PDF.

If you have ever considered starting a podcast, check it out, and feel free to reach out with questions. We need more content out there to help raise awareness of the value of business anthropology.

Abstract

On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. It was four days after I gave a TEDx Talk and just over a month since I participated in the University of North Texas’ Applied Anthropology Expo. Both in-person events provided fertile ground for discussing my findings, practice, and the merits of anthropology. But as the reality of the pandemic sank in, it became clear that I would not have a similar opportunity for some time. To fill the gap, I, like so many colleagues, signed up for virtual conferences. I quickly found these to be an inadequate replacement for in-person events. Not because of the quality of presentations, but because virtual conferences didn’t work for my lifestyle. I found it hard to justify taking off time from work for a virtual event, and likewise, I would work right through the presentations, thereby ensuring I was not getting a lot out of the experience. Most importantly, though, I missed the one-on-one interactions that spontaneously occur in person. These interactions are not only an opportunity to see old friends and network with colleagues, but they are also great for sharing and learning in an informal setting outside of the scheduled presentations. By late-2020, I had resigned myself to the idea that I was done with virtual conferences. I would still apply to speak at a few and support some monetarily, even if I didn’t attend, but I would not try and trick myself into thinking they were a replacement for an in-person social experience. But what was I to do? Wait out the pandemic without any collegial interaction? No. I decided I would create a space for interaction by starting a podcast. In fact, I decided to start two.

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