EASA people

Working Group for Public Anthropology (WGPA)

The Working Group for Public Anthropology (WGPA) is a new structural initiative within EASA, formed in 2025 to help broaden the visibility, impact, and accessibility of anthropology. Developed in response to EASA’s Strategic Plan 2025–2029, the WGPA fosters critical, reflexive, and practice-based approaches to anthropology beyond the academic sphere.

This permanent Working Group is structured similarly to EASA’s Integrity Committee and the Working Group on Human Rights and Academic Freedoms, with an initial mandate of two years to operate from 2025–2027, renewable thereafter.

Aims and Objectives

The WGPA aims to:

  • support EASA members in engaging with media, public institutions, communities, and policymakers
  • promote ethical, inclusive, and reflexive public anthropology
    coordinate public-facing activities (e.g. podcasts, exhibitions, policy briefs)
  • develop training and share best practices for public engagement
    implement the newly devised EASA Strategic Plan for Public Anthropology to be released in the fall of 2025
  • rethink initiatives such as the European Anthropology Days and Why Anthropology Matters in dialogue with current challenges (e.g. AI, cultural policy, school curricula)

Structure and Composition

Founding Liaisons (2025–2027)

Hayal Akarsu

Utrecht University

Sultan Doughan

Goldsmiths, University of London

Panas Karampampas

Durham University/EuroNet

Jonas Tinius

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Four additional members selected through an open call (rotating, renewable terms)

Reports directly to the EASA Executive Committee

WGPA members are expected to:

  • attend regular meetings (~5–8 hours/month commitment)
  • co-develop initiatives across media, education, and advocacy
  • shape the Terms of Reference for the working group, to be finalised in autumn 2025
  • help operationalise public anthropology efforts in collaboration with EASA Networks and external partners

Next steps

  • Terms of Reference (to be finalised with full WGPA in Fall 2025)
  • Public Anthropology media hub (launching 2026)
  • Rewritten Why Anthropology Matters campaign
  • Partnerships with schools and public institutions across Europe

Get in touch

For questions, contact the Public Anthropology Liaisons via: secretary(at)easaonline.org

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