The Familiar Strange

Episodes

1. 3

   Ep#110: Brooms Not Cutlases: Guyana’s Histories with Dr Oneka LaBennett

   In this episode Familiar Stranger Emma Quilty sat down with Associate Professor Oneka LaBennett to talk about her most recent book, Global Guyana: Shaping Race, Gender, and Environment in the Caribbean and Beyond

   Sep 22, 2024

   55m
2. 2

   Ep#107: Bittersweet Stories from Fiji with Dr Tarryn Phillips and Edward Narain

   In this episode Familiar Stranger sat down with Fijian author and political analyst Edward Narain and Associate Professor Tarryn Philips from La Trobe University. Together Edward and Tarryn published Sugar: An Ethnographic Novel which reveals the extent to which the lives, health, and…

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   Jul 14, 2024

   1h 24m
3. 1

   Ep#108:Walking vs Hiking and Who You Are?

   Producer’s note: Hi everyone, Executive Producer Matt here, just wanted to slide in here quickly and say that we recorded this panel a while ago, so you might hear some familiar voices! Just wanted to say a quick thank you to Irina, Andrew, Ruonan and Alex for all their effort in recording this...

   Jun 23, 2024

   31m
4. 107

   Ep107# Net Zero & Bullsh*t: Corporate Sustainability Metrics with Dr Matthew Archer

   This week Emma Quilty sat down with Matthew Archer, Assistant Professor at Maastricht University to discuss his brand new NYU Press book Unsustainable: Measurement, Reporting, and the Limits of Corporate Sustainability. In this brilliant and incisive new book, Matthew Archer weaves together...

   Mar 20, 2024

   43m
5. World Anthropology Day With Dr Noel Salazar

   This week Sean Heath sat down with Noel B. Salazar, Professor of Anthropology at KU Leuven to discuss the celebration of Anthropology Day(s). Their conversation covered the initiation of world anthropology day by the American Anthropological Association and touched on national celebrations of...

   Feb 14, 2024

   25m
6. TFS 2024 Update: We are Recruiting!

   A brief update on the state of TFS project and a call for new contributors to the team.

   Feb 10, 2024

   2m
7. Ep#106: MeTooAnthro and the Witch Hunt trope

   Trigger Warning: Please note that this episode makes mention of Sexual Assault and sexual violence. In this episode we walk about MeToo anthropology from the lens of fieldwork and within the academy itself. Familiar Stranger Emma Quilty sat down with anthropologists Holly Walters and Margaret...

   Sep 21, 2023

   1h 21m
8. Ep#105 Podstudies: Dr Ian Cook on the Future of Academia & Podcasts

   The podcast is back! This week, we've challenged ourselves to be as meta as possible, with a podcast, about podcasting, released by an academic podcast! Try saying that after a wine or two. Familiar Stranger Tim and Sean sat down with Dr Ian Cook, who has recently released his book "Scholarly...

   Jun 22, 2023

   50m
9. Ep#104 We let ChatGPT write this title: ""ChatGPT: The Future of AI-Assisted Conversations"

   It’s been a while… We’re back, this time with Familiar Strange Emma leading a panel on AI and specifically Chat GPT. This week, Emma is joined by Familiar Strangers Matt and Sean to discuss some of the advancements of ChatGPT and what it means for us as academics and human creativity. Matt dives...

   Apr 7, 2023

   36m
10. Ep#103 Handwraps & Hijabs: Dr Jasmijn Rana on Kickboxing & Piety in the Netherlands

    Welcome back to the Familiar Strange. We’re kicking off 2023 with an interview with Dr Jasmijn Rana from Leiden University. Dr Jasmijn’s research interests include, gender, race-ethnicity, religion, embodiment and movement. Jasmijn is currently (2022-2023) a Marie-Sklodowska Curie Global Fellow…

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    Mar 5, 2023

    47m
11. Ep #102: Gender in the Mines & Anthro Origin Stories: This Month on TFS

    We are back for 2023! This month we welcome our newest Familiar Stranger Nitya! Nitya has just finished their Master of Anthropology and is current doing some further work into Gender and mining. In this episode we deep dive into Nitya's topic and the stereotypes of mining, and dig into the…

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    Feb 19, 2023

    23m
12. Ep #101: When Anthropology Strikes Back: Strikes & Casualisation in Academia

    This week we’re back for a really important panel. This week, Familiar Strangers Lachlan, Sean, Kath and Claire gather to discuss casualisation of academic jobs and the effects that strikes can have on workers rights. Some of the strangers are currently participating in a unfair labour practices...

    Dec 18, 2022

    44m
13. Ep #100 The laws of Robotics & Anti-Trust Frank Pasquale on AI Law & Multidisciplinary Interactions

    Familiar Stranger Emma sits down with Frank Pasquale from Brooklyn Law School. Frank is also currently co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Cross-Disciplinary Research in Computational Law! Frank is one of the leaders in relation to AI Law and cross-disciplinary approaches, with his works of The...

    Dec 11, 2022

    51m
14. Ep #99 The Conference Extravaganza: AAS &AAA: This month on TFS

    This week we’re back with a conference extravaganza! With the AAS and AAA’s just passed, listen in to Familiar stranger Alex, Lachie, Sean and Ruonan’s thoughts! Alex and Ruonan attended the AAS while Lachie and Sean attended the AAA in person and virtually. The strangers dive into their past...

    Nov 27, 2022

    41m
15. Ep#98 Human Centered Design & “Futurising” Insights: Dr Vaike Fors on Emergent Mobility Technologies

    This week, Familiar Stranger Emma conducts her first interview! Emma sat down with Dr Vaike Fors from Halmstad University. Dr Vaike Fors is a professor in design ethnography, focusing on learning in everyday life. In the past, Vaike has worked with Volvo as part of a number of projects in…

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    Oct 30, 2022

    35m
16. Ep #97: AI Art & Activist Anthropology Revisited: This Month on TFS

    This week we’re joined by Familiar Strangers Kathy, Lachlan, Alex and Sean to talk all things AI Art and activism. Alex kick’s us off by asking us to consider the recent developments in AI image creation. Alex dives into DALL.E and what it means for people that still consider themselves…

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    Oct 16, 2022

    29m
17. Theory as reproduction: Reflections on the history of feminist anthropology in Australia Part 3

    We’re back this week and with a very special collaboration. As part of AAS2019, we had a chance to record an enlightening roundtable on the history of feminist anthropology in Australia. You can find parts 1 and 2 here! The wonderful Dr Benjamin Hegarty, Dr Carly Schuster and Dr Shiori Shakuto…

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    Oct 4, 2022

    58m
18. Ep #96 Earthquake Temporalities & Energy Sovereignty: This Month on TFS

    This month we’re joined by the latest member of The Familiar Strange, Lachlan Summers! Lachlan is currently based in Mexico city and researches the 2017 Earthquake. As part of this panel, we dive a bit deeper into Lachlan’s research and how he has investigated the temporalities and culture…

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    Sep 18, 2022

    30m
19. Ep#95: A Hex for My Ex: Witchcraft & AI Podmen: This Month of TFS

    Welcome back to the Familiar Strange! This week we welcome Emma, one of the newest familiar strangers! For this panel, we dive into some of Emma’s work as a “Witchy” Anthropologist and how it plays into her current work in AI. Emma gives us a rundown of her practise of witchcraft here in…

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    Aug 21, 2022

    28m
20. Ep #94:Social clinics of solidarity: Dr Letizia Bonanno on the Practices & Modes of Care in Athens

    This week Familiar Stranger Tim speaks with Dr Letizia Bonanno. Dr Letizia Bonanno is a medical anthropologist working on issues of care and pharmaceuticals. In March 2019 she earned her PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Manchester. In their conversation, Tim asks Letizia about…

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    Aug 7, 2022

    49m
21. Ep #93: Waterworlds, Witchcraft and Chaos: This Month on TFS

    We’re back! We’re back from our Semester break and keen to get back into creating the content you know and love. This week, we’re joined by Dr Sean Heath! The newest Familiar Stranger. In the first part of this panel, we dive into Sean’s work with competitive swimmers in Canada and the United...

    Jul 24, 2022

    25m
22. Season Break!

    Hey Everyone, From everyone at the TFS team we just wanted to say a quick thank you before we take our season break. Don't worry though, we're not going anywhere and we'll be back around late July. Thank you for all your support this season and we're looking forward to coming back with more of…

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    Jun 12, 2022

    2m
23. Ep # 92 Emergency Contraceptives & Hymenoplasty: Lisa Wynn on Sexual & Reproductive Health Tech

    Today we talked about Lisa’s research on sexual and reproductive health technologies in the United States as well as in the Middle East and North Africa. We focused on emergency contraceptives and unpacked the arguments both for and against making them available over the counter in America. Lisa...

    May 29, 2022

    46m
24. Ep # 91: The Hiking Middle Class & Perspectives on Perspectives This month on TFS

    Welcome back to the Familiar Strange! This week is Familiar Stranger Ruonan’s first panel as a host! We think she did pretty well! Ruonan is joined this week by Familiar Strangers Alex, Andy and Irina! Alex starts us off by telling us he is leaving us! But one thing he’ll miss (aside from the…

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    May 15, 2022

    26m
25. Ep # 90: The First Year Special: This Month on TFS

    Welcome back to the Familiar Strange. We’re back with a special panel episode with familiar stranger Alex sitting down with some of the First year PhD students doing Anthropology at ANU. Mamta, Maddy and Andy were kind enough to take some time out of their busy schedules and discuss all things…

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    Apr 17, 2022

    21m
26. Ep # 89 Growing Pains in the Valley: Dr Eric Hirsch on Growth in the Colca Valley

    Welcome back to the Familiar Strange! This week Familiar Stranger Alex sits down with Dr Eric Hirsch. Dr Eric Hirch is currently an assistant professor at Franklin & Marshall College in the department of Environmental Studies. Eric’s research interests center around local understandings of what…

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    Apr 3, 2022

    43m
27. Ep # 88: Creating Queer Space & The Lenses of War: This month on TFS

    Ep # 88: Creating Queer Space & The Lenses of War: This month on TFS. Welcome back for another Panel! This week we’re joined by familiar strangers Carolyn West, Matt Phung, Ruonan Chen and Alex D’Aloia. Carolyn starts us off this week by sharing her recent experiences at a Hen’s night she had...

    Mar 20, 2022

    29m
28. Ep # 87: Squatters in The Stag: Adrian Watts on Activism & Squats

    Before we dive into today’s episode we’d just like to add a content warning for this episode for sexual assault and drug use. This week, Familiar Stranger Carolyn sits down with Adrian Watts, a PhD Candidate from the University of Melbourne. Adrian spent his fieldwork in a London squat called The...

    Mar 6, 2022

    56m
29. Ep# 86- The Funging The Non - Fungible & The Changing Face Of Protests- This Month On TFS

    Welcome back to The Familiar Strange! We’re joined this week by our newest Familiar Stranger, Kathryn! You might have heard her on Episode 84 last season but we’ve convinced her to stick around! Welcome Kathryn. We start this month’s episode by discussing the recent protests that have been...

    Feb 20, 2022

    20m
30. Thank you 2021.

    The team at TFS would like to say thank you to all our listeners this year and to everyone who has listened in to our podcasts and read the blog this year! We are taking a short season break and we will return in February 2021 Let’s keep in touch. Feel free to submit something to the blog, we’re...

    Dec 12, 2021

    1m
31. Ep #85 Photography Through An Ethnographer’s Lens: Image Making with Jason De León

    This week Carolyn sits down with Jason De León, anthropologist, photographer and author. He is currently the director of the Undocumented Migration Project (UMP) and his research interests revolve around violence, materiality, Latin American migration, photoethnography, forensic science, and...

    Nov 28, 2021

    43m
32. Ep #84 Activist Anthropology & Becoming Humanitarian Victims: This month on TFS

    This week the strangers are joined by Kathryn Allan! Kathryn is currently completing her PhD at the school of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Australian National University. Her research focuses on stateless persons, refugees, and asylum seekers. She is also regional president of Amnesty...

    Nov 14, 2021

    23m
33. Ep #83 Parasocial relationships & Strangers: Dr Ian Pollock on the Origin of The Familiar Strange

    Matt’s back this week with an interview with one of the original Familiar Strangers Dr Ian Pollock. Ian discusses the origins of the Familiar Strange, why it started and whether it helped or hindered his PhD. Matt discusses his involvement in the early days of TFS and what it contributed to his...

    Oct 31, 2021

    39m
34. Ep #82 Pork Barreling Pollies & Learning How to be Social Again: This Month on TFS

    This month we dive into the recent political scandals in Australian politics. Familiar Stranger Alex gives us a brief overview of the current scandal involving former New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian. He asks the strangers to consider what the relationship is between the states and…

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    Oct 17, 2021

    20m
35. EP#81 Lifeworlds & Studying Aotearoa: Susanna Trnka on Traversing Multiple Lifeworlds & Publics

    For this episode, Joe sits down with Susanna Trnka from the Anthropology department at the University of Auckland. Susanna is an associate professor in the anthropology department at the University of Auckland. Susanna received her PhD from Princeton before moving to Aotearoa/New Zealand in 2003....

    Oct 4, 2021

    46m
36. EP# 80 Reborn Dolls & The Use of Social Sciences: This Month on TFS

    This week we’re diving into the world of Reborn dolls and celebrating Social Sciences week! Familiar Stranger Carolyn kicks us off by giving us an introduction into the world of reborn dolls, or dolls that have been “reborn” to mimic human babies. The familiar strangers ask about the uncanny...

    Sep 19, 2021

    22m
37. Ep# 79 A Journey to the West: Nicholas Ng on the Music of the Teochew Diaspora in Western Sydney

    This week is familiar stranger Jarrod’s first interview! For this episode, Jarrod sits down with Dr Nicholas Ng, from the Institute for Australian and Chinese Arts and Culture, and Institute for Culture and Society (Western Sydney University). Jarrod and Nicholas start by defining the term of...

    Sep 5, 2021

    38m
38. Ep #78 Alternative Healing Practises & The Social Status of Shopping Centres: This Month on TFS

    This week we’d like to introduce you to our newest Familiar Stranger, Ruonan Chen! Ruonan is currently doing her fieldwork around hospitals and healing practises in the Tibet autonomous region. In this episode, the strangers dive into Ruonan’s work and learn more about how “healing” can take on...

    Aug 22, 2021

    23m
39. Special Episode: Caroline Schuster, Sarah Abel & Catherine Frieman on The Archaeology of F*****g

    Before we dive into today’s episode we’d just like to add a content warning for this episode for mentions of slavery and sexual assault This week, we’re bringing you an extra special interview/panel. Familiar stranger Alex Zoomed in with Dr Caroline Schuster, Dr Sarah Abel and Dr Catherine…

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    Aug 8, 2021

    1h 01m
40. Ep #77 Mutual Assistance & The “Value” of the Olympics: This Month on TFS

    And we’re back! This week we’d like to introduce our newest Familiar Stranger, Joe Clifford. Joe has just completed his Masters in Development Studies from the University of Auckland! To kick off his first panel, Joe discusses his research into the concept of Gotong Royong or mutual assistance in...

    Jul 25, 2021

    22m
41. Season Break: A Message from TFS

    The team at TFS would like to say thank you to all our listeners this season and to everyone who has listened in to our podcasts and read the blog! We are taking a short season break and we will return with some new and improved content in July! But keep an ear out for some special content we...

    Jun 27, 2021

    2m
42. Ep #76 The Sounds of Fieldwork & Choosing Your Fieldsite: This Month on TFS

    This week we’d like to introduce a new Familiar Stranger, Jarrod Sim! Jarrod is a PhD student at the school of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Australian National University. His current research is an anthropologically-led study of how landscape has shaped the auditory cultures of a…

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    Jun 13, 2021

    23m
43. Special ANSA Collaboration: Hanne Worsoe and Romy Listo on Fieldwork Trauma and Outsider Witnessing

    This week we bring you a special collaboration between The Familiar Strange and the Australian Network of Student Anthropologists or ANSA. In this special collaboration, Familiar Stranger Alex sits down with Hanne Worsoe and Dr Romy Listo to discuss some of the difficulties that arise from…

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    May 30, 2021

    43m
44. Ep #75 The Anthropologists Perspective on Nomadland & Commodified Mothers: This Month of TFS

    This month familiar stranger Tim kicks us off by pondering the ethnographic and anthropological nature of the award winning film Nomadland directed by Chloé Zhao. The strangers discuss the almost anthropological origins of the film and other similar works that deal with the precariat or nomads…

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    May 16, 2021

    24m
45. Ep #74 Colonialism & Monsters: Yasmine Musharbash on Monster Anthropology & Social Transformation

    This week Clair brings you an interview with Dr Yasmine Musharbash! Dr. Yasmine Musharbash is a senior lecturer at the School of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Australian National University. Her fieldwork is based in central Australia, and primarily centred on the Yuendumu, an Aboriginal...

    May 2, 2021

    38m
46. Ep #73 Corporate Clapbacks and Twisting Traditions: This Month on TFS

    This week we bring you another panel in our new format! This time, we’re diving into the conflict between Amazon and its workers in Alabama trying to form a union. Clair raises the topic of “corporate sassiness” and how we have started to attribute personalities and personhood to the social media...

    Apr 18, 2021

    19m
47. Ep #72 Weaponized Photography & Sex Work: Camille Waring on Online Intimacy & Lens Based Violence

    Before we dive into today’s episode we’d just like to add a content warning for this episode for sexual assault. This week, Familiar Stranger Carolyn sits down with Camille Waring from the University of Westminster. Camille is currently doing her PhD on online representations of sex workers and…

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    Apr 4, 2021

    43m
48. Ep #71 Entrepreneurism in Academia and Ethics on The Ground: This Month of TFS

    This week on TFS, the Strangers continue with our new panel format and dive deeper into the topics of entrepreneurism and ethics. They talk about how universities and by extension academia is becoming more and more business-like with academics having to “build their brands” in order to find...

    Mar 21, 2021

    23m
49. Ep# 70 Familial Ties and Family Debts: Susan Ellison on Alternative Dispute Resolution in Bolivia

    This week we bring you an interview with Dr Susan Ellison from Wellesley College. In this interview, Familiar Stranger Alex asks about her experiences working in the city of El Alto and the neighbouring town of La Paz. Alex and Susan discuss Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and how it exists…

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    Mar 7, 2021

    45m
50. Ep #69 An Anthropologist's Guide To The US Elections: This Month on TFS

    Hello and Welcome back to The Familiar Strange! We are so happy to be back and we can’t wait to keep talking strange with you all! We’re kicking off this new season with a panel with Familiar Strangers, Alex D’aloia, Carolyn West, Timothy Johnston and Simon Theobald. We’re trying out a new format...

    Feb 21, 2021

    18m