Code Projected Over Woman

Digital Anthropology

A project of the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Programme

The Digital Anthropology Project

The Digital Anthropology Project aims to deepen our understanding of the interplay between human communities, cultures, and digital technologies. Its goal is to shed light on what it means to be a human in the digital era and how individuals’ behaviours in the digital space translate into the analogue space. The project seeks to provide insights to guide the development better policies and practices with a focus on promoting inclusivity and ethical societies. The project is organized around three key workstreams: advancing education, innovating technology, and building awareness.

VR Heaset

Discover: New Horizons in Digital Anthropology

This publication explores Digital Anthropology, a field that is rapidly evolving and shaping our understanding of the digital world. It provides unique insights into the latest innovations in the field, the main trends and forces driving its growth, and the barriers that still exist. It also takes a closer look at how digital anthropology is being applied across different regions and offers a glimpse into the future of this dynamic and evolving discipline.

This report was made possible through the partnership between UNESCO and The LiiV Center, and under the framework of the Management of Social Transformations Programme in the Social and Human Sciences Sector of UNESCO.

New horizons in digital anthropology: innovation in understanding humanity
Carmach, Juan
UNESCO
Hillier, Katie
Cotton, Isabelle
Darragh, Simon
LiiV Center for Innovating Digital Anthropology (USA)
2023
UNESCO & Liiv Center
0000382647

We take pride in uncovering fresh insights into the complexities of our digital world. Through the unique lens of digital anthropology, we offer a more comprehensive and ethical perspective on global social issues. We aim to make these perspectives commonplace in policy and decision-making, leading the way towards a brighter and more inclusive future.

Gabriela Ramos
Gabriela RamosAssistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO
Woman with code projected over her face

The toolkit

With our "living" design principle, the toolkit consists of a flexible and evolving resource that adapts to our changing cultural and technological landscape.

To make navigation easier, we have divided the toolkit into two sections, "New Methods" and "Perspectives and Other Resources" (see below).

Discover new and innovative ways to shape a more inclusive and ethical digital future!

New methods

This toolkit is designed to turn innovative methods in understanding online cultures and people, into a more accessible guides that can be used by any kind of researcher.
Beyond Algorithms: Methodological triangulation

A reflection on methods in digital era

A complex systems approach to studying social networks

Analysis and intervention

Studying human algorithm relationships

Can people have healthy relationships with algorithms?

New critical metrics for social media analysis to encourage positive engagement
Experimenting with interdisciplinarity in the classroom

Mixing anthropology, design and digital studies

A mixed methods approach to digital anthropology

Far-right publics on Brazilian Telegram

Blending thick big data

The anthropological Swiss knife in the time of datafication

New methods for digital ethnography on and with Instagram
With and of digital

engaging with digital anthropology as both method and space, for better decision-making

Perspectives and resources

Uncover valuable insights and practical resources from global experts and groups that can help you apply digital anthropology tools, methods, and mindsets to your unique challenges.
Digital anthropology as an alternative to “big data” analysis for decision support

The case of health care

Remote ethnography through telepresence robots

Scaling embodiment as a paradigm for anthropology in the digital world

From machine learning to machine knowing

A digital anthropology approach for the machine interpretation of cultures

Innovative AI Methods for global reproductive freedom
Technology for social justice

Critical and collaborative forays of digital anthropology

Three missions that are critical to future work in digital anthropology

Two years ago we set out on a mission to help society make better decisions through cultural understanding at speed and scale. Today, we are proud to achieve this transformational milestone, with the first toolkit of innovative digital anthropology methods and perspectives designed to empower people to make better decisions by understanding the cultures and communities they serve.

James Ingram
James IngramFounder of the Liiv Center & CEO of Telmar/Helixa