Anthropology, AR, and PhD programs

Hi all,
I’m doing a masters program in applied anthropology and am nearing the end of my studies. I stumbled across AR while looking at methods to use in my thesis project: ‘Culture Brokers in Australasia’, where I am ‘mapping’ opportunities for anthropologists to apply their training to help solve real world problems.

I am now considering going on to do a PhD on an AR project and here is where I hope to get some guidance from you all:
1) I would like to continue in the anthropology discipline and am looking for potential supervisors and universities with strength in AR to approach with a research proposal.
2) I am interested in applying AR to organizational change in business.
3) I am hoping to find a 3 year Scandinavian university model whereby PhD are also academic staff and strong university – public and private sector relationships exist for researchers to take advantage of.

I know this all might be a tall order but I thought AR+ might be my best bet for getting multiple perspectives on how/where I could meet all three objectives. If I have to make some compromises on my expectations I’d be happy to hear where they might be, two out of three wouldn’t be so bad ????
Thanks in advance!
Doug

Hi Doug, Hilary here – How funny that we must stumble across an orientation to research that in many ways has been deeply aligned with anthology for decades. E.g., I think of Marja Liisa Swanz, from Finland, whose work as a doctoral student and beyond in Tanzania in the 70’s effectively created the practice we now call participatory action research/PAR. I am glad you stumbled on to our field! There is much to learn…In support of your plan for further study, I invite you to send me an email to bradbury@ohsu.edu I have some recommendations for you. As they involve sharing other colleagues names from whom I think you can get excellent advice (who knows they may not wish for me to share their name on a public forum?!), I would be happy to help in this way…and wishing you all the best! – Hilary Bradbury