LEARN
Anthropology
The study of culture and social behavior from a ‘worms eye view’. Anthropology is all about analyzing, comparing, understanding difference.
Why does it matter? Going in-depth in understanding humans beyond charts and numbers (though I love that too!) will help you understand consumers better, creating better, insight-driven work.
(more importantly: helps you add another nuanced lens in understanding yourself and the world around you)
Videos
“What anthropology does is train you is to look at the world in a holistic, joined up way. To pay attention not just to what people talk about, but also to what people don’t talk about. As an anthropologist you don’t just listen to the noise, you also listen to the silence. You also pay attention to the rituals, symbols, cultural practices that define our lives and shape our social boundaries, and express a world view that we hold inside our heads.”
consumer pain points, usability testing
Gillian Tett was the first person that made the case for anthropology for someone with a business background, and has the ability to break down concepts very well for people out of the field.
fieldnotes from the internet
How Tos
Introductory books on how to think, research & write like an anthropologist, even in your day-to-day life.
Ethnographies
I specialized in economic anthropology so my recommendations focus on this, but existing ethnographies span a broad range of topics, from kinship & family life to digital relationships & AI.
(+ don’t they just have the best titles?)
Books
Ethnography centers on the culture of everyday life.
The scientific description of peoples and cultures with their customs, habits, and mutual differences.
-
The one book to read even without social science training, with great exercises you can practice everyday.
-
Striking ethnography of Bolivian Tin Miners, highlighting nuance of power, resistance, and oppression (+ fantastic title!)
-
The best introduction to thinking like anthropologist, especially for those with a business background
-
Vivid descriptions contextualized with political-economic background. This was also my focus for my dissertation on financial literacy & migrant domestic workers.
-
Very practical guide with examples, recentering ethnography in how it should be: about everyday life, minus the convolution.
-
An original examination into the relation between capitalist destruction and collaborative survival within multispecies landscapes.
Sapiens: Anthropology Magazine
Created by the Wenner-Gren Foundation
& University of Chicago Press, the online magazine publishes articles for the public with varying & quite literary styles.
Blogs
The Sociology of Business
CBO & PhD Sociologist Ana Andjelic writes on her substack weekly about the intersection of taste, culture, and brands. While not purely anthropology, social sciences do intersect!
ReD Associates Perspectives
The anthropology-led consulting firm does in-depth think pieces across concepts like belonging, scarcity, even ‘flesh’. Great if you’re in business wanting to dip your toes in applied anthropology.
Brand Strategy
Continue to read up on brand strategy