AnthroPod, the podcast of the Society for Cultural Anthropology, invites proposals for a new collaborative series.
About This Series
Across geography, language, and culture, “regional anthropology” and area studies have long shaped how the discipline organizes itself. Each region carries its own intellectual histories and disciplinary debates. Yet too often, regions are treated as sites from which theory is extracted rather than as places where theory is lived through and contested with.
For this series, we are especially interested in hearing from anthropologists who not only study a region but are rooted in it, whether by working in local and regional institutions, collaborating with local communities, or engaging in forms of knowledge production that extend beyond the university. We seek voices that challenge the extractive logic in which a region supplies the “data” and theory is produced elsewhere.
We hope that, by foregrounding various issues, histories, and forms of resistance in different regions, this mini-series contributes to ongoing efforts to remap regional imaginaries as part of the broader project of decolonizing anthropology. By remapping each region, we offer new perspectives on the significance of these often-overlooked areas and their place within the broader global context.
Our first entry in this series is a two-part miniseries on linguistic anthropology and linguistic anthropologists in Mexico, featuring anthropologists working with Indigenous communities in Mexico and based at local institutions.
We welcome proposals that address questions such as:
1) What does it mean to practice anthropology from within a region as well as about one, and what tensions arise between those positions?
2) How do locally grounded scholars deal with the politics of knowledge production between centers and peripheries, and/or between the Global South and North?
3) What theoretical contributions have regional intellectual traditions produced that remain under-recognized in mainstream anthropological discourse?
4) How does institutional location, whether at a regional university, a community organization, a museum, or a policy body, shape ethnographic practice and engagement?
5) What forms of public and community-engaged anthropology are gaining ground in specific regional contexts?
Who Should Apply
This call is open to anthropologists and ethnographers at any career stage. Because AnthroPod episodes are produced collaboratively but largely driven by the proposer, applicants should have at least a preliminary understanding of podcast production, including basic experience with audio recording, interviewing for audio, or editing. You do not need to be a professional producer, but familiarity with the medium will be important for shaping a compelling episode. If you are new to audio production but have a strong concept, please note this in your proposal; the committee can help assess what support may be needed.
What to Include in Your Proposal
Your proposal should address the following:
1) Your qualifications (training, experience with audio recording)
2) A short paragraph summarizing what the episode is about, who you will interview, and how does it fit in AnthroPod’s goal (be sure to include all three pieces!)
3) Short list of interview questions or how you will frame conference panel/keynotes for a general audience
4) How you plan to record (over Skype or in-person, with what equipment)
5) What sounds or approach to editing you will use (think creatively)
6) An estimate as to how long the episode will be (25-60 minutes)
7) A tentative timeline for the process from recording to publication
Submission and Review Process
Once your proposal is complete, email it to the AnthroPod coordinators at anthropod@culanth.org. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis. If you have any questions before submitting, feel free to reach out to us at the same address.
Your proposal will be reviewed by the committee to determine whether it fits within the scope of AnthroPod. You will typically receive a decision within 1–2 months. If accepted, a member of the committee will be assigned as an executive producer to support you through the production of the episode.