Anthropology Beyond Academia

Applied research often takes place under tight deadlines, with limited access to participants and competing stakeholder expectations. How can researchers adapt their approach while still producing trustworthy and useful findings? Drawing on real projects from different organizational settings, this seminar explores how researchers identify constraints, discuss them with stakeholders, and make informed methodological choices. We will consider when to adjust the project’s scope, negotiate additional resources, or clarify what the evidence can—and cannot—support. The focus is on making defensible research decisions and communicating their implications clearly. In an interactive exercise, students will work through a research brief with limited resources, propose an approach, and explain their choices. The two-hour session combines a short lecture, group work, and discussion.