Discovering the bow of a ship underneath the World Trade Center, helping corporations understand how people's identities show up in technology – or a think tank looking at social relationships in the workplace, working with gangs in East LA, a death investigator helping police solve crimes – it seems anthropology is everywhere these days. And that’s no coincidence because anthropologists ARE everywhere these days, studying the biological, cultural, linguistic, and archaeological aspects of what it means to be human. These videos are just two pieces of a five part video series to showcase who we are, what we do, and how we add value to society. The full series including segments on archaeology, forensic anthropology, and socio linguistics can be accessed in the AAA store. Videos are free for AAA members and available at a modest charge for nonmembers. Where are anthropologists working?Today's anthropologists do not just work in exotic locations. Anthropologists can be found in a surprising array of fields and careers, not least of which being the mother of President Obama. Anthropologists can be found in corporations, all levels of government, educational institutions and non-profit associations. Anthropologists work in disaster areas, including Ground Zero in New York and the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. Today there are four main career paths for anthropology graduates: Academic CareersOn campuses, in departments of anthropology, and in research laboratories, anthropologists teach and conduct research. They spend a great deal of time preparing for classes, writing lectures, grading papers, working with individual students, composing scholarly articles, and writing books. A number of academic anthropologists find careers in other departments or university programs, such as schools of medicine, epidemiology, public health, ethnic studies, cultural studies, community or area studies, linguistics, education, ecology, cognitive psychology and neural science. Corporate and Business CareersMany corporations look explicitly for anthropologists, recognizing the utility of their perspective on a corporate team. A corporate anthropologist working in market research might conduct targeted focus groups to examine consumer preference patterns not readily apparent through statistical or survey methods. These anthropologists use their research skills to talk to consumers and users of technology to find out how products and services could be improved to better meet the needs of consumers. Government CareersState and local governmental organizations use anthropologists in planning, research and managerial capacities. Contract archaeology is a growing occupation with state and federal legislative mandates to assess cultural resources affected by government funded projects. Forensic anthropologists, in careers glamorized by Hollywood and popular novels, not only work with police departments to help identify mysterious or unknown remains but also work in university and museum settings. The federal government is one of the largest employers of anthropologists outside of academia. Possible career paths include: international development, cultural resource management, the legislative branch, forensic and physical anthropology, natural resource management, and defense and security sectors. Non-profit and Community-based CareersNon-governmental organizations, such as international health organizations and development banks employ anthropologists to help design and implement a wide variety of programs. However, these aren't the only opportunities available. Many anthropologists work in local, community-based settings for non-profit agencies. Sometimes, they work through community-based research organizations like the Institute for Community Research. Other times, they might work for established organizations in a community like the YMCA, local schools, or environmental organizations. In response to a survey by the American Anthropological Association's Committee on Practicing, Applied and Public Interest Anthropology (CoPAPIA)*, respondents provided the following responses to describe their post-graduate employment:
Areas of Anthropological StudyLearn more about anthropology in our special "This is Anthropology" podcast miniseries!
Check out some of the stories below and learn more about the life-altering work of anthropologists. There are many great reasons why studying anthropology should be considered by undergraduate and master's students. First, the material is intellectually exciting. Additionally, anthropology prepares students for excellent jobs and opens doors to various career paths. To learn more about careers in anthropology, please continue reading about Career Paths and Education.
Sam Ladner is a sociologist and UX researcher. She specializes in ethnographic research for product design. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, has driven innovative online products and smartphone apps, and informed Microsoft’s vision for the future of productivity. She currently works as a Principal Researcher at Workday, an enterprise software company in Pleasanton, CA. She has worked at other leading technology companies including Microsoft and Amazon, where she worked as Principal UX Research Lead for the Echo Look product. She holds a PhD in sociology, regularly teaches research methods, and is the author of Practical Ethnography: A Guide to Doing Ethnography in The Private Sector. |