Anthropologists and new audiences: pathways to teaching and learning

Hybrid conference organized by Teaching Anthropology Network, EASA

At a time when the humanities and social sciences are increasingly under critical scrutiny and financial pressure in higher education, we invite teachers, students, and academics to consider how the perspectives, methods, and ways of teaching and learning of anthropology can be encouraged and expanded in both traditional and non-traditional contexts (e.g. universities, schools, the public sector, the general population). We seek to showcase the intellectual and practical potentials of anthropology as a way of looking at and engaging with the world in other professional fields and for communities of the wider public, and also to highlight the challenges the discipline is facing at the present moment.

We invite proposals that address a wide range of issues: How can we anthropologists best communicate, beyond our discipline, what we do and how we make sense of human cultures? How do anthropologists employ social media and how can these engage new audiences? How can we as anthropologists encourage relevant, reflexive and inclusive learning, not just in higher education but also from nursery to high school? How are contemporary debates on decolonisation changing what and how we teach? We want to hear from students themselves and what studying anthropology means for their understanding of their place in the world. We equally encourage contributions from anthropologists who work with professionals from other fields and disciplines, in interdisciplinary teams, in applied fields and in the public and private sectors.

Proposals

Contributions are welcome in a range of formats (papers, roundtables, posters, video, workshop). We invite proposals on the following:

1. Anthropology and its Public Presence
   How can we make our work more accessible to a wider public? How can we best demonstrate how anthropology sheds light on some of the most pressing issues of the day? How can we dispel the misunderstandings and misperceptions of our work? Approaches to this topic might include writing for popular media outlets, or using visual media, photography or theatre to present anthropological insights and knowledge to a broad public audience.
2. Anthropologists Working with other Disciplines and Professions
   Anthropologists often work in inter- and trans-disciplinary teams and with colleagues from other disciplines or professions. In these contexts, how can anthropologists share their work and insights with others? When working, for example, in medical teams, with policy makers, social workers, development agencies, in government or public institutions, how can anthropologists contribute productively to projects?
3. New Media and Anthropological Education
   How can anthropologists reach larger and more varied audiences through new media? What are the advantages and potential pitfalls of such approaches? How is the qualitative and fine-grained work of anthropologists mediated by new technologies? What ethical issues do we encounter when addressing local and potentially global audiences through new media?
4. Anthropology in the Pre-university Classroom
   How can anthropology encourage students from nursery through high school to situate and understand themselves and others in their social worlds? How can we help students best understand both difference and our common world? Is teaching in the pre-university classroom more game-like, haptic, kinetic, and visual? What difference does this make to student learning? How can we develop an anthropology of learning?
5. Making the case for Anthropology in Education today
   With the closure of departments and funding cuts in the humanities and social sciences across the globe, how are anthropologists responding to demonstrate the value and relevance of the discipline? How, in these circumstances, can we encourage students to pursue studies in anthropology?
6. Decolonizing the Anthropology Curriculum in Schools and Universities
   We seek to explore the ways anthropologists are engaging with the complex and unequal histories of the discipline in their classrooms. How do we equitably engage with diverse student bodies? How do we rethink our teaching in response to student interests and needs? How can we leverage informal and nonformal learning in the formal learning environment of the classroom? What are the limitations of decolonization?
7. Rethinking Anthropology Education for the 21st Century
   What can an anthropology education do humanistically, scientifically, ethically, in and for today’s world, both inside and outside the university? What can we as anthropologists offer and how can we make our knowledge, skills, insights available and accessible?
8. Student Voices in Anthropology: “if we had our say…”
   We invite anthropology students to reflect critically on their experience of studying anthropology and on the discipline. What are your thoughts on pedagogical methods and the content of the curriculum? Do you see a future for yourself in anthropology?

Submissions

Contributions need not be limited to only these suggestions; participants are encouraged to submit abstracts that may not be in direct response to these questions but are relevant to the larger issues we aim to explore. We invite prospective students and teachers of anthropology to participate and submit abstracts of 150 to 200 words, 3 keywords and with a maximum 20-word title. We welcome a range of formats such as:

• Paper
• Video / Film
• Roundtable Discussion
• Workshop
• Performance (music, theatre, other)
• Poster Presentation

Deadline for abstract submission: 30 June 2025. Participants will be notified by: July 31, 2025

Please click here to upload your contribution. (Each form is for one abstract only. If you wish to upload more than one contribution you must fill out another form.)

Conference Summary Details

More info about the location will be provided for in person participants who want to reach Mytilene.

Conference Type: Hybrid

Registration: Opens end of July 2025.

Conference Fees: No conference fees are requested both for in person and online participation.

Co-organisers:

Department of Social Anthropology and History of University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Lesvos, Greece
Association of Social Anthropologists Greece (ASA)
WCAA Task Force Anthropological Education and New Audiences

TAN Co-Convenors

Giovanna Guslini (Formerly of the Ministry of Education, University and Research, Italy) g.guslini(at)gmail.com
Mary Hallin (University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA) mhallin(at)unomaha.edu
Marzia Balzani (New York University, Abu Dhabi, UAE) mb4412(at)nyu.edu
Mimina Pateraki (Hellenic Open University, Greece / University of St Andrews, UK) mimina.paterakis(at)gmail.com