AAA Annual Meeting Podcasts – 2023/2022

Matt Artz

The Transitions podcast mini-series was created in anticipation of the upcoming 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and the Canadian Anthropology Society (CASCA), which is being held November 15-19, 2023, in Toronto, Canada. The episodes engage guests in a dialogue about the theme of Transitions, their work, and the greater Toronto area. The podcast was created as a partnership between the AAA, CASCA, and Matt Artz. read less

Naomi Adelson & Cara Krmpotich: On Transitions and Toronto's Cultural Scene
Sep 11 2023
Naomi Adelson & Cara Krmpotich: On Transitions and Toronto's Cultural Scene
In this episode of the AAA/CASCA Annual Meeting podcast, Naomi Adelson and Cara Krmpotich speak with Matt Artz about the theme of transitions and the importance of community engagement and co-research in their respective fields. They also discuss the concept of data sovereignty and its implications for research and indigenous communities. They also discuss the ongoing process of transition and reconciliation in Canada, particularly in relation to indigenous history and culture. Finally, they provide recommendations for exploring Toronto, including visiting museums such as the Royal Ontario Museum and the Bata Shoe Museum. About Naomi Adelson Naomi Adelson is Professor and Associate Vice President, Research and Innovation at Toronto Metropolitan University. As a medical anthropologist she has worked for over 30 years with the Iiyiyu’ch of Whapmagoostui First Nation, in Iiyiyu Istchee (in northern Québec). Her approach to research is grounded in a critical-interpretive analytical framework. Through that framework, her research over the years has looked to challenge and unsettle normative conceptualizations of the human body. Naomi has more recently been working collaboratively with the Whapmagoostui First Nation to digitize and transfer her years of research data to the community in a format appropriate to supporting their active stewardship of the recordings, transcriptions and images. In a separate project, she is exploring the history of a nurse who worked in Whapmagoostui/Kuujjuarapik during the Cold War period of the early 1960s and, in 2021, launched an online life history of esteemed Iiyiyu educator and friend, the late Emily Masty. About Cara Krmpotich Cara Krmpotich is a museum
Monica Heller: The Significance of Language in Social Relations
Jul 25 2023
Monica Heller: The Significance of Language in Social Relations
In this episode of the AAA/CASCA Annual Meeting podcast, Monica Heller talks with guest host Isabelle LeBlanc about the theme of transitions and her work in linguistic anthropology. She highlights the multicultural and multilingual nature of the city, emphasizing the importance of understanding diversity and inequality. Monica shares her experiences of conducting ethnography in Toronto and the significance of language in building social relations. About Monica Heller Monica Heller is currently President of the Canadian Anthropology Society/Société canadienne d’anthropologie. She is also a Past President of the American Anthropological Association. Professor emerita at the University of Toronto, she is a linguistic anthropologist interested broadly in the role of language in the making of social difference and social inequality. More specifically she follows the development of ideologies and practices linking language, nation and State in francophone Canada. About Isabelle LeBlanc Isabelle LeBlanc is an Assistant Professor at the University of Moncton's Department of French Studies since 2019. Her research delves into the intersection between feminist theories and critical sociolinguistics, examining biographical methods in sociolinguistics, sociolinguistic narratives, family language policies, the interplay of gender ideologies and linguistic ideologies, as well as discourses on sexual violence. She teaches various subjects, including methodology, sociolinguistics, language history, linguistic anthropology, language policies, and the relationship between language and gender (feminization, inclusive writing, etc.). Isabelle also collaborates with the Canada Research Chair in Acadian and Transnational Studies at the University of Sainte-Anne and co-founded the Research Group on Archives and Women in Acadia (GRAFA). She participates in the research project "Rethinking Acadia in the World: Comparative and Transnational Studies" and serves as a researcher at the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Diversity and Equity (LGBTQ2+) About the 2023 AAA/CASCA Annual Meeting The 2023
Cassandra Hartblay: The Cultural Dimensions of Disability & Performance Ethnography
Jun 7 2023
Cassandra Hartblay: The Cultural Dimensions of Disability & Performance Ethnography
In this episode of the AAA/CASCA Annual Meeting podcast, Cassandra Hartblay talks with Matt Artz about the theme of transitions, her research on the cultural dimensions of disability in post-Soviet Russia, and her use of performance ethnography as a method to explore and understand disability. They also discuss the importance of accessibility and inclusion, both within the academic field and in the city of Toronto. Finally, Cassandra shares recommendations for places to visit and highlights the Tangled Art + Disability art gallery as a vibrant hub for showcasing the artwork of disabled artists. About Cassandra Hartblay Cassandra Hartblay is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Health Humanities at the University of Toronto Scarborough. She is also the Director of the Centre for Global Disability Studies. With a background in sociocultural and medical anthropology, Cassandra specializes in gender, sexuality, and disability theory, with a specific regional focus on Russia and the former Soviet Union. Cassandra's research combines ethnographic methods with documentary arts, performative and visual formats, and traditional academic writing. She brings a unique blend of academic expertise and experience in non-profit work, digital media, and event planning to her work in academia, contributing to institution building within the field. At the core of Cassandra's research is an exploration of citizenship and disability, particularly within the context of post-Soviet Russia. Her work bridges the fields of Medical Anthropology, Disability Studies, and Queer Theory, offering a synthesis of theoretical perspectives to understand and address the complex intersectionalities of disability and citizenship. Cassandra's ethnographic approach enables her to delve deep into the lived experiences and perspectives of individuals, contributing to a nuanced understanding of disability in its social and cultural contexts. About the 2023 AAA/CASCA Annual Meeting The 2023
Mary Gray: On the Internet and Identity-making
Oct 24 2022
Mary Gray: On the Internet and Identity-making
In this episode of the Unsettling Landscapes podcast, Mary Gray talks with Matt Artz about her career studying the internet and identity-making. About Mary Gray Mary L. Gray is Senior Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research and Faculty Associate at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. She maintains a faculty position in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering with affiliations in Anthropology and Gender Studies at Indiana University. Mary, an anthropologist and media scholar by training, focuses on how people’s everyday uses of technologies transform labor, identity, and human rights. Mary earned her PhD in Communication from the University of California at San Diego in 2004, under the direction of Susan Leigh Star. In 2020, Mary was named a MacArthur Fellow for her contributions to anthropology and the study of technology, digital economies, and society. About the 2022 AAA Annual Meeting The 2022 AAA Annual Meeting is being held Nov. 9-13, Seattle, WA. The theme for this year is Unsettling Landscapes. The theme asks two questions: In what ways are we, and those we work with, unsettled? How are we also unsettling landscapes, and to what end? For more information, visit annualmeeting.americananthro.org. About the AAA Founded in 1902, the American Anthropological Association is the world’s largest scholarly and professional organization of anthropologists. The Association is dedicated to advancing human understanding and applying this understanding to the world’s most pressing problems. It publishes a portfolio of 22 journals, offer career planning and professional development services, support college and
Charles Menzies: Who are the Unsettled?
Aug 1 2022
Charles Menzies: Who are the Unsettled?
In this episode of the Unsettling Landscapes podcast, Charles Menzies talks with Matt Artz about his views on who he believes is truly the unsettled and his work with film and the environment. He also serves up a delicious tip for some food to get while in Seattle.  About Charles Menzies Charles R. Menzies is a Canadian anthropologist and full professor. He is a member of the Gitxaala Nation of northwestern British Columbia and an enrolled member of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. His primary research interests are the production of anthropological films, natural resource management (primarily fisheries related), political economy, contemporary First Nations’ issues, maritime anthropology, and the archaeology of north coast BC. About the 2022 AAA Annual Meeting The 2022 AAA Annual Meeting is being held Nov. 9-13, Seattle, WA. The theme for this year is Unsettling Landscapes. The theme asks two questions: In what ways are we, and those we work with, unsettled? How are we also unsettling landscapes, and to what end? For more information, visit annualmeeting.americananthro.org. About the AAA Founded in 1902, the American Anthropological Association is the world’s largest scholarly and professional organization of anthropologists. The Association is dedicated to advancing human understanding and applying this understanding to the world’s most pressing problems. It publishes a portfolio of 22 journals, offer career planning and professional development services, support college and university departments, award numerous prizes and fellowships, sponsor a paid summer internship program, and stage research conferences in the Fall and Spring each year. About Matt Artz Matt Artz is a business and design anthropologist, consultant, author, speaker, and creator. He writes, speaks, and consults in user experience, product management, and business strategy. He creates products, podcasts, music, and visual art. His podcasts include Anthropology in Business and Anthro to UX.