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Workshop on the academic application of anthropology in 
multi-disciplinary departments

Venue:  Graduate Centre, London Metropolitan University, 166-220 Holloway 
Road, London, N7 8DB

Date:   27th April 2005

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Rationale:
Whilst recruitment of students to anthropology degree courses in British 
universities remains relatively stagnant, undergraduates are 
increasingly encountering anthropology outside of traditional 
anthropology departments, in the context of business and tourism, art 
and design, education, social work, planning and development and related 
degrees.  Yet little attention is paid to the academic applications of 
anthropology to other areas of study, nor the roles of anthropologists 
working in multi-disciplinary university settings.

London Metropolitan University’s International Institute for Culture, 
Tourism and Development, with the support of C-SAP, is convening a 
workshop to address these issues.  The workshop will provide a forum for 
bringing together anthropologists working outside traditional 
anthropology departments in order to explore experiences, identify major 
issues, and share best practices.

The one-day workshop will take place at London Metropolitan University’s 
Graduate Centre, 27th April 2005.  The day will be divided into four 
plenary sessions.  Each of the first three sessions will take one 
specific topic, with a short prepared presentation by one or two 
speakers providing a focus for discussion.  Each session will also have 
a designated raporteur, to summarise and comment on the issues arising 
from the day’s debates in the final discussion session.

Places are limited and we do ask those wishing to attend to confirm 
their places by Monday 4th April 2005. A limited number of travel 
bursaries are available.

Programme:

10.00 – 10.30: Welcome, coffee and introduction

10.30 – 11.45: Teaching anthropology-related modules in 
multi-disciplinary departments

Professor Peter Burns, Centre for Tourism Policy Studies, University of 
Brighton
Students are often introduced to anthropology in stand-alone modules, 
frequently without any reference to ‘anthropology’ in the title.  How 
should ‘anthropology’ be presented to students in such modules? What 
level of theoretical rigour is appropriate?  Are suitable resources and 
teaching materials available?  What strategies have lecturers developed?

11.45 – 12: Coffee break

12.00 – 1.15: Anthropological research in non-traditional academic settings

Professor Gerald Mars, Brunel University/London Metropolitan University
The dilemma of how to maintain a dialogue with anthropology as a 
discipline, whilst engaging with the wider subject issues, is 
exacerbated by the pressure from RAE subject panels to achieve ‘output’ 
targets in particular subject-related journals.  Ethnography is 
increasingly widely taught and used as a research methodology in 
business schools, but arguably its anthropological underpinning remains 
largely unacknowledged.  How do both of these factors affect the 
development of anthropological research in generic subject areas, such 
as tourism or business, and access to research funding by grant-making 
bodies? Is there an old university/new university divide – and how does 
it operate?

1.15 – 2.15:  Lunch

2.15– 3.30: Institutional relationships

Professor Tom Selwyn, London Metropolitan University and RAI
What interests do anthropological institutions – whether anthropology 
departments in universities, or anthropology associations – have in the 
teaching, learning, and dissemination of anthropology outside the 
non-traditional settings of the discipline?  How might they support and 
benefit from anthropology in non-specialist departments?  What kind of 
relationship with such institutions would anthropologists working in 
non-specialist departments like to develop, and how could this be achieved?

3.30-3.45 Tea

3.45– 4.45 Report back and discussion – what next?

5.00: Closing

For further information, please contact:


Dr Julie Scott
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Dr Peter Lugosi
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