Hint: Pop culture is key!

If anthropology is the study of people, meanings, and culture, why does it sometimes feel like our events stay trapped in an anthro-bubble? What can we do as anthropologists to help this bubble pop?

The answer is in the name—Pop Culture—modern culture transmitted through mass media, usually relating to younger audiences. Pop Culture typically centers on societal features such as fashion, music, movies, and slang. Drawing on Pop Culture can build interest around your event or work and be a “game changer” for your audience.

Instructors, what if there were a way to get students interested in anthropology before they took their first class? Often, students will not attend events described in words that they do not relate to or understand. The key to generating this connection, or buzz, is adding Pop Culture references to course titles or to themes for your lectures, which appeal to a wide array of people. Making this change will enable you to connect better with students and their experiences. You might want to think about a catchy title for a course or lecture that people will remember. Think about titles like a flashy sign. You want to get your audience’s attention and invite them to learn more.

Let us say that you are interested in hosting a recruitment event for undecided majors. You plan to emphasize why anthropology is a valuable and relevant major in present times. This event would be a great time to insert Pop Culture into your “pitch” to the students. Here is an example from an event I have seen, called “Anthropology in everyday life: Understanding ethnocentrism.” While someone who has studied anthropology, or even another social science, might fully understand this, someone fresh into college is going to see “Anthropology” and “ethnocentrism” and think there is nothing for them there.

For this event, I suggest adding Pop Culture references that are widely known—like Barbie or Beyoncé—in the title to attract interest. In the subtitle, I would emphasize “Anthropology.” A good new title might be: “From Barbie to Beyoncé: Understanding anthropology in everyday life.” Anyone who sees the poster for this event is likely to associate anthropology with something that is known or trending, like Beyoncé. Adding in Pop Culture does not diminish the importance of the topic. Instead, it acts as a translation to build connections and show the relevance of anthropological work.

I am recommending that anthropologists move away from specialized terms or concepts in their titles to attract and welcome a wide range of people. But where do you start? The Anthropology Career Readiness Network (ACRN) is launching a new Instructor tool, “Generating Interest or Buzz around Your Events or Work.” With it, you will learn to brainstorm to create catchy, interesting titles. Following the suggested steps will take you from creating your title or theme to marketing it to your audience. This tool can also help you gain readership for your longer academic publications, as well as for blog posts (like this one!) and op-ed articles.

Attention span seems to be short these days, but with the right kind of “buzz,” you can get an audience outside of your usual circle to take an interest in your work. This could be as simple as sharing an Instagram story with a trending song that “reminds you” of the piece, or relating to something happening in real time, like a current event, or a specific fan group.

A good example is the article by Jose Leonardo Santos, “Menacing Oracle: An Anthropologist’s Journey into Political Polarization in Higher Education.” In using “Menacing Oracle” at the start of his subtitle, Santos pulls from the Pop Culture realm of sci-fi and mythology. He then relates this phrase to the title’s message in a way that is clearly stated and appealing to an academic audience.

Pop Culture is just what it sounds like: culture! Creating buzz around anthropology, whether for an event or an article, is not about gimmicks or clickbait scams. It is about access. Adding in references, catchy titles, and intentional promotion opens a door to a wider audience. It sends the message that “You are a part of this conversation.” Anthropology is not just about studying culture, but actively learning it. Give your audience a call to get interested.

The post Did you hear that? How can you generate an important buzz around anthropology? appeared first on The Anthropology Career Readiness Network.