When people think about anthropology they often consider it a strictly academic discipline with very little or no applied, professional career options. This idea is absolutely, 100% inaccurate! There are several ways that anthropology can be applied to the private sector, and more and more anthropologists are finding work outside of academia. There are also several anthropologists, such as Mike Mena, PhD Candidate in Linguistic Anthropology at City University of New York, who straddle the line between the academy and the private sector. Today’s blog post is dedicated to discussing Mena’s applied anthropological pursuits in his beloved field of linguistic anthropology.
Linguistic anthropology focuses on language and culture, and Mike Mena’s professional interests focus on the intersections between race and language and how these are linked to income inequalities and social hierarchies within society. His current doctoral research is focusing on these issues within the academy, but he also dedicates a great deal of his time to his other professional endeavor: his YouTube Channel, The Social Life of Language. It is here where Mena provides the public with various videos he personally produces. The topics all revolve around linguistic anthropology, specifically addressing his academic interests. The videos are educational, professional, and accessible to all audiences. His work has garnered him accolades from national and international organizations not just because of the educational value of his work but the informed advocacy it takes in appropriately and thoroughly addressing social justice issues. In 2019 the Society for Linguistic Anthropology awarded Mena the Public Outreach and Community Service Award for his YouTube Channel.
Mena does not keep his video production skills secret. As an educational technologist and media-making consultant he actively provides teaching programs to interested educators who wish to create their own educational content through video or streaming services. In doing so he spreads his love of education, linguistics, and social justice advocacy to others, and his medium is infectious as his programs are often fully booked well in advance of their start dates.
Works Cited
Beauchamp, Justin. The Academic YouTuber: A practical guide to engaging a wider public. 2021. Electronic. 28 May 2021.
Mena, Mike. The Social Life of Language YouTube Channel. 13 August 2013. Electronic. 28 May 2021.
4 comments:
The videos are informative, professional, and suitable for a wide range of viewers. His work has earned him honors from national and international organizations, not only for its instructional value, but also for the educated advocacy it takes in tackling social justice concerns responsibly and fully.-FE
I think Youtube videos are a great way to learn concepts and new topics. I think it is great that he is also providing a resource for other people to learn from him.
-Jayla Templeton
His ideas of how racism and the conscious and unconscious that people are. The policies and how people view racism among groups is informative and misunderstood in situations. This is a very good video for many people to watch.
Qwynn Marquez
Mike Mena's work outside of typical academic contexts is showcased in this post, effectively challenging the idea that anthropology is only found in academic settings. This shows the adaptability of anthropological education and the ability of experts to use their knowledge in a variety of contexts. Mena tackles current societal challenges in her study of the connections between language and race, as well as the consequences for social hierarchies and financial disparities. By concentrating on these topics, he adds insightful commentary to scholarly discussions as well as more general social interactions.
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