Anthropology Beyond the Academy with Dr Johannes Lenhard

As anthropologists, we are well trained to write. We rarely use this skill beyond academia, however. Writing well does not only still sell reasonably well but is also an important counter-force against mis-information, clickbait and the like-economy. In this workshop for postgraduate students, we will concretely talk about and practice how to write journalistically. We will address the processes of approaching a journalistic outlet, pitching and crafting a good narrative. Please come prepared in order to get the most out of the workshop!

Pre-workshop preparation: Think of a specific insight from your own research or from your anthropological reading more generally that you believe more people should know about. Write both a succinct headline (not an academic journal title!) for it and a 50 word (journalistic) abstract / catch.

Biography: Dr Johannes Lenhard is an affiliated lecturer in anthropology and sociology (and at the Minderoo Center at CRASSH). He spent the last decade ethnographically working with people experiencing homelessness in Paris (‘Making Better Lives’, 2022) and more recently venture capital investors. He was also the editor in chief of the King’s Review for four years and publishes regularly in Sifted/FT, Prospect, the Conversation and other journalistic outlets.

To join: Please email enquiries@socanth.cam.ac.uk. This workshop will be capped at FIFTEEEN participants (PhD, MPhil, postdoc); places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. If you’ve got a place and are later unable to participate, please let us know ASAP so that we can allocate it to someone on the waiting list.