Guiding Worlds through Anthropological Story w/ Michael Kilman

On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we sit down with Michael Kilman, an applied anthropologist, author, educator, and science communicator committed to making anthropology accessible to everyone. With over a decade of experience teaching cultural anthropology and diversity, Michael brings ethnographic thinking into fiction writing, filmmaking, and public education. He hosts several YouTube series, including Anthropology in 10 or Less and Ask an Anthropologist About Worldbuilding, and is the co-author of Build Better Worlds: An Introduction to Anthropology for Game Designers, Fiction Writers, and Filmmakers. Michael reflects on his path into anthropology, his graduate work on community media, and his applied projects ranging from fieldwork in Mexico to collaborative filmmaking with Native American communities. He discusses the realities of adjunct teaching, the impact of the pandemic on higher education, and how anthropological thinking shapes his speculative fiction, worldbuilding consultations, instructional design work, and science-communication platforms. His TEDx talk, Anthropology, Our Imagination, and How to Understand Difference, captures his mission to use story to build empathy and expand perspective. Listen now to learn more about applied anthropology, collaborative media, worldbuilding, storytelling, and how anthropological thinking helps us imagine better worlds.