AAA Annual Meeting Podcasts – 2023/2022

In this episode of the AAA 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 Annual Meeting The 2023 AAA Annual Meeting is being held Nov. 15-19 in Toronto, Canada. The theme for this year is Transitions. Transitions may be the most constant feature of everyday life. With endless uncertainties that are exacerbated by political turmoil, pandemic unpredictability, and climate crisis, our quotidian experiences are steeped in mutability. Transitions present us with both challenges and opportunities, not only in our everyday lives but also in our work as anthropologists. We hope that transitions may be something that we can approach with a sense of experimentation, imagination, and play, rather than a growing state of exhaustion and dread. As we navigate these transitions, we continue to think about how anthropology can rise to face our current condition, or ways it may fall short. For more information, visit

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

In this episode of the Unsettling Landscapes podcast, Peter Knutson talks with Matt Artz about his career as a commercial fisherman, building alliances, and teaching anthropology as a form of existential reflection. About Peter Knutson Peter Knutson is an anthropologist and commercial fisherman from Everett, WA. He was educated in public schools, attended Stanford as an undergraduate and was indefinitely suspended by Stanford in 1972 for disrupting recruiting by a weapons manufacturer. He then studied in New York at New School for Social Research, attending classes taught by Murray Bookchin, Hannah Arendt, and Stanley Aronowitz, among others. In 1987 he received his doctorate in sociocultural anthropology from the University of Washington. His dissertation was an autoethnography of a mutiny on a commercial fishing vessel in the North Pacific, informed by Frankfurt School Critical Theory. He has taught in Seattle area community colleges since 1981 and has been tenured at Seattle Central College since 1998. He publishes articles dealing with politics and community in Seattle newspapers and in critical journals such as Counterpunch. 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 un

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.