We want to familiarise you with the strange, after estranging you with the familiar. This is an anthropology social engagement project.
Anthropology – pursuits of uncommon knowledge about what it means to be humans enmeshed in culture – need not be so estranged, or estranging. At present, anthropological thinking mainly occurs within ‘field sites’ and the ivory tower, and there are plenty of misconceptions about what anthropologists even do.
We, four anthropologists at the ANU (see our bios for more info) wish to engage anthropologists (and other social and interdisciplinary scientists) in edgier, relevant and more accessible forms of communication. Whether this is considered public, engaged, popular or activist anthropology, The Familiar Strange project just wants to open up your thinking.
And given the jarring social and political contexts that are becoming harder to avoid thinking about, anthropologists might do well to consider sharing some of their more general thoughts beyond their specific academic interests.
Weary of too much navel gazing when using oneself as an analytical instrument, we have both blogs and podcasts to give the thoughts and lives of anthropologists some more critical – but informal – exposure. We particularly encourage early-career anthropologists to blog with us, while we run the podcasts to tap into more refined thinking from more established anthropologists, to facilitate our learning of anthropology and improve dialogue.
To contribute to the blog, please email submissions@thefamiliarstrange.com. Either pitch or send through a written blog post (500 – 1,500 words). Please also include a short bio.
Check out our podcast, where you can listen, and post comments, suggestions, arguments and reviews.
The Familiar Strange 