Anthropology for Impact and Insights

Ready to Explore Humanity’s Creative Potential?

Check out some of our most popular episodes that are great to start with.

Deconstructing Masculinity with Ruth Whippman.

From Automation to Revolution: Exploring the Future of Conversational AI

Navigating the Labyrinth of Perception: Wisdom, Language, and Post-Trauma Growth

Understanding Tribal Signals: A Conversation with an Evolutionary Anthropologist

Are Emojis and Hieroglyphs Universal Language?

They're not Binging TV, they're Feasting: Rethinking Media, Honor and American Culture with Grant McCracken

On Finding Awe and Being a Human in the Cosmos with Sasha Sagan

Build Better Worlds: Anthropology for Game Design, Film and Writing

Cyberpsychology: How Life Online Shapes our Minds and What We Can Do About It w Julie Ancis

Happiness and the Good Life According to the Aztecs w/ Dr. Ryan Collins

Recent Episodes

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Oct. 7, 2024

Design for the Future: Ethics, Evolution, and Anthropology with Michael Leube

In this episode of This Anthro Life, host Adam Gamwell talks with anthropologist and design educator Michael Leube about how design, ethics, and anthropology intersect to shape the future of human behavior and culture. They …

Sept. 28, 2024

Best of Cultural Capitalist series

Today, we’re excited to bring you something a little different. Recently, we've been sharing a lot of episodes and shorts inspired by the work I’ve been doing alongside my colleague, Phil Searles, for Cultural Capitalist. In…

Sept. 19, 2024

How AI and Technology Are Redefining Work in the Post-Pandemic World with Claudia Strauss

In this episode of This Anthro Life, host Adam Gamwell talks with anthropologist Claudia Strauss about how #AI, #technology, and the #postpandemic world are reshaping the nature of work in America. They explore crucial topic…

Sept. 13, 2024

The Value of Anthropology to Tech Investors

In this episode of This Anthro Life, we’ll dive into how anthropology is reshaping tech investment by examining human culture and its influence on innovation. You'll discover how the deep study of culture helps forecast mark…

Sept. 5, 2024

Building Inclusive Universities: Lessons from Shaun Carver

Join us in this dynamic episode of This Anthro Life as we sit down with Shaun Carver, CEO of International House at UC Berkeley, to explore the art of building inclusive and vibrant campus communities.

Aug. 31, 2024

The Michigan Wolverines Cultural Advantage

Discover what sets the Michigan Wolverines apart in college football. In this episode of This Anthro Life, host Adam Gamwell explores the innovative cultural strategies implemented by head coach Jim Harbaugh that led to the …

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About the Host

Dr. Adam Gamwell

host, executive producer

Dr. Adam Gamwell is a cultural and design anthropologist, an award-winning media creator, and a recognized expert in storytelling. With a diverse background that includes working with startups, nonprofits, cultural organizations, and Fortune 1000 companies, Adam specializes in applied strategy, experience design, human insights, and storytelling. His unique approach combines experiential research—such as working among Peruvian quinoa farmers to tackle climate change—with cutting-edge tools and methods like Artificial Intelligence (AI), emergent innovation and trends foresights. His expertise in leveraging big data and digital tools, alongside traditional ethnography, enables him to align human needs with business goals effectively, ensuring projects resonate on a deeply human level.

Adam's passion for bringing the power of the social sciences to business and society has led him to co-found a Social Impact Storytelling collaborative, Anthrocurious, that empowers organizations and individuals understand their audiences and create community and change through storytelling. Adam holds an MA and PhD in cultural anthropology from Brandeis University. He speaks Spanish and Portuguese.

In his own words: Fundamentally I'm a storyteller driven to make our world a more friendly, humane, and sane place. Through and beyond podcasting, I help businesses, organizations, and individuals understand the problems they face, create clarity and communication in the face of complexity, and make good things with good people to solve those problems. Because the right… Read More

Reviews

An inspiration!

"This Anthro Life has been a big inspiration for my studies over the last two years. Now, I'm stepping into the field hoping to put Anthropology to practice myself and it great to continue listening t…"

Harmen Pelders | May 19, 2021

Engaging and insightful

"I love this podcast. It helps keep me engaged with Anthropology in a way that is consumable, insightful, and illuminating. I love starting my day listening in as I learn more about the world around m…"

Aurorii | April 8, 2021

Required listening for anthro students

"Fantastic dialogue across all topics and substances. Learned more from this podcast than I did during my B.A. years. Makes me want to return to academia for a Masters in Anthropology."

Taraya | Feb. 8, 2021

Engaging

"This podcast is awesome! There are so many insightful lessons from different experts, all led by Adam Gamwell's entertaining interviewing approach. You'll fall in love with this Anthro Life right awa…"

Adarcus | Aug. 17, 2022

Love this!

"Adam’s fascinating insights into the human condition and our place in the cosmos is amazing. With episodes exploring diverse topics such as the Cryptocurrency Revolution, Happiness according to the A…"

Bona and Team Capsho | July 14, 2023

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