Career Pathways and Bushtracks
An Anthroprospective and ANSA collaboration
About this Event
Career Pathways and Bushtracks in Anthropology
Anthroprospective and the Australian Network of Student Anthropologists (ANSA) are teaming up to host a four-part webinar series on anthropology. In our inaugural webinar, we will be exploring the diverse career pathways available in the field of anthropology. Join us as we discuss how you can navigate through the bushtracks of this fascinating discipline. Whether you're a student, a professional, or simply curious about anthropology, this event is perfect for anyone interested in learning more about the endless possibilities within this field. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to discover where your passion for anthropology can take you!
This webinar will go live at 12pm on Thursday the 17th of October via Zoom. Register now for free to secure your place! Recordings will be sent to you if you are currently registered on the Anthroprospective or ANSA newsletter mailing lists.
Your Guest Speakers
Dr Ian Pollock
Ian is a seasoned social researcher with over 15 years of experience, specialising in anthropological approaches to understand how people organise, express themselves, and pursue their values. His rigorous attention to lived experiences and their contextual structures allows him to uncover solutions to complex social issues. Ian's extensive fieldwork includes supporting community development, conducting rapid appraisals for the World Bank across Indonesia, and assisting NGOs in understanding the needs of farmers and artisans in various Indonesian regions. Ian holds a PhD in Anthropology, along with relevant postgraduate and undergraduate qualifications, including language studies in Indonesian and Japanese. He co-founded 'The Familiar Strange', a public anthropology project aimed at making the discipline more accessible to both emerging anthropologists and the general public.
Professor Caroline Schuster
Caroline is an economic anthropologist specialising in value, credit, debt, microcredit, NGOs, development policy, gender, kinship, and feminist theory, with a focus on Latin America, particularly the Paraguay tri-border area. She completed her PhD at the University of Chicago in 2012, winning the Richard Saller Prize for her dissertation. Her book, "Social Collateral" (2015), based on postdoctoral research at Harvard, examines women's group loans in Paraguay's smuggling economy. This work explores how social collateral in microfinance intersects with gender dynamics, solidarity lending, and global economic structures, revealing complex interdependencies between borrowers, lenders, and development initiatives in the context of Latin American border economies.
Chris Cooper
Chris is an experienced independent advocacy strategist and campaign director with over 15 years of expertise in designing and executing strategies for social, cultural, and policy change, particularly in countering mis- and disinformation. He applies his skills in strategic communications, advocacy, and content production to address digital rights, public health, international development, and climate change issues. Chris's background in media production and cultural anthropology informs his approach to leveraging storytelling for systemic change, with a strong focus on participatory methods that empower marginalised communities. His career spans the corporate, NGO, philanthropic, and activist sectors across multiple continents, including East Africa, South Asia, Asia-Pacific, the United States, Europe, and Australia.
Your Hosts
Courtney Boag | Anthroprospective
Courtney Boag is a social anthropologist specialising in public anthropology and entrepreneurship. With extensive experience working with Indigenous communities and in international development, she bridges academia and industry to demonstrate anthropology's broader relevance. Courtney is the Founder of Anthroprospective, a platform that aims to promote Humanities and Social Sciences to broader audiences. She is passionate about combining academic insights with practical strategies for community engagement, focusing on social impact and cultural understanding.
Cindy Stocken and Susannah Ostojic | Australian Network of Student Anthropologists (ANSA)
Cindy Stocken is a dedicated PhD candidate in Anthropology, focusing on ritual creativity, death studies, and alternative funerary practices, particularly Living Funerals. As secretary of the Australian Network of Student Anthropologists (ANSA), she actively supports anthropology students and early career professionals across institutions. Cindy also contributes to the Critical Ethnography Lab (CiEL), where she manages and researches diverse projects involving AI, aviation, and water use. Her unique approach bridges traditional anthropological methods with contemporary issues, showcasing her ability to contribute meaningfully to both academic discourse and practical applications in various fields.
Susannah Ostojic is a graduate researcher in anthropology at La Trobe University's Department of Social Inquiry, focusing on women's engagements with traditional practices in Vanuatu, exploring connections between identity, kinship, place, gender, and kastom. With extensive qualitative research experience, including long-term ethnographic fieldwork and collaborative methodologies, Susannah has been involved in teaching and research assistance since 2019. Her expertise extends to the professional side of academia, having served as an ethics advisor. Currently, Susannah chairs the Australian Network of Student Anthropologists (ANSA) and has recently been appointed as a Learning Technologist in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, supporting the transition to asynchronous online learning.
