EmTech Anthropology

A healthy, heartfelt piece of food for thought for all anthropologists who work in interdisciplinary teams – and not least those who do not, yet! Served with humor, the authors remind us to move beyond our anthro-egos and embrace the perspectives of “the other” to enable the impact of our discipline. The brilliance of the argument, is that we must shift our own perspectives and look outwards, to enable making own perspectives relevant, for the sake of a better future of tech.

Louise Vang Jensen, Anthropologist, co-CEO and Partner in the Strategic Innovation Agency, IS IT A BIRD

This book presents a compelling premise: anthropology, once a prominent public platform for voicing concerns, lost its way in higher education and society. But anthropologists in business today are intervening to create meaningful change by confronting our most vexing human problems. The authors detail how a new generation of business anthropologists are applying their knowledge to shape sociotechnical transformations in AI, robotics, genetic engineering, and other emerging technologies, while addressing what it means to be human. Readers can enjoy a series of rich, informative, and descriptive stories of careers, choices, and actions that anthropologists take to make transformational change happen, and it comes at a highly relevant time: to portend not just the future of technology but potential futures of humankind.

Timothy de Waal Malefyt, Ph.D., Clinical Professor of Marketing at the Gabelli school of Business, Fordham University

Anthropology is in the throes of change as fieldwork and problem solving are expanding rapidly into organizational settings, particularly in tech. Today’s trailblazers are partnering with others as active problem solvers at the “cutting edge.” Gone is anthropology’s insularity, as new theory, methods, and models are tested and put to use serving diverse communities. These anthropology innovators bring a “solutions mindset” to their work as they reinvent what anthropology is and demonstrate its value and impact.

Elizabeth K. Briody, Founder and Principal Cultural Keys LLC, and Chair Anthropology Career Readiness Network

"Anthropology is in the throes of change as fieldwork and problem solving are expanding rapidly into organizational settings, particularly in tech. Today’s trailblazers are partnering with others as active problem solvers at the ‘cutting edge.’ Gone is anthropology’s insularity, as new theory, methods, and models are tested and put to use serving diverse communities. These anthropology innovators bring a ‘solutions mindset’ to their work as they reinvent what anthropology is and demonstrate its value and impact."

Elizabeth K. Briody, Founder and Principal of Cultural Keys LLC and Chair of Anthropology Career Readiness Network

"This book presents a compelling premise: anthropology, once a prominent public platform for voicing concerns, lost its way in higher education and society. But anthropologists in business today are intervening to create meaningful change by confronting our most vexing human problems. The authors detail how a new generation of business anthropologists are applying their knowledge to shape sociotechnical transformations in AI, robotics, genetic engineering, and other emerging technologies, while addressing what it means to be human. Readers can enjoy a series of rich, informative, and descriptive stories of careers, choices, and actions that anthropologists take to make transformational change happen, and it comes at a highly relevant time: to portend not just the future of technology but potential futures of humankind."

Timothy de Waal Malefyt, Ph.D. Clinical Professor of Marketing at the Gabelli school of Business, Fordham University

"Visions of the frontier run deep in anthropology. They separate the familiar from the exotic and set the stage for the anthropologist to venture beyond and bridge the gap. Today’s frontiers are technological and constantly shifting. EmTech Anthropology offers a fascinating, personal, and deeply compelling introduction to how anthropologists can navigate our unfamiliar futures with tech like AI, robotics, or genetic engineering – and help the rest of us do the same."

Anders Kristian Munk, Professor of Computational Anthropology, Technical University of Denmark

"A healthy, heartfelt piece of food for thought for all anthropologists who work in interdisciplinary teams – and not least those who do not, yet! Served with humor, the authors remind us to move beyond our anthro-egos and embrace the perspectives of ‘the other’ to enable the impact of our discipline. The brilliance of the argument is that we must shift our own perspectives and look outwards, to enable making our own perspectives relevant for the sake of a better future of tech."

Louise Vang Jensen, Anthropologist, co-CEO and Partner in the Strategic Innovation Agency, IS IT A BIRD

"EmTech Anthropology masterfully explores the intersections between anthropology, business and engineering, and challenges anthropologists to become anthro-solutionists – innovators who combine anthropological knowledge and insights with the development of people-centred technological solutions that will shape our future. It acts as a catalyst for inspiration and will definitely shape the path of the next generations of students, researchers and practitioners in the dynamic landscape of emerging technologies. In short, a powerful book."

Dan Podjed, Associate Professor, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts

"This unique collection offers potential ways for anthropologists to chart new courses within the emerging technology landscape. Rather than serving as insight providers within tech business models, these authors call for anthropologists to lead the way toward developing novel forms of serving human needs through technology. Rooted in a fresh perspective of the discipline, they see a world where anthropologists drive new offerings that prioritize the dynamics of human interactions as the starting point."

Jay Hasbrouck, Ph.D., Author of Ethnographic Thinking: From Method to Mindset