Article begins
- Issued: January 29, 2024
- Response deadline: February 23, 2024
- Pitch responses: February 29, 2024
- First drafts due: March 27, 2024
For our third issue of 2024, Anthropology News is delving into the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence (AI) and its intricate relationship with human reality. AI is a complex field that appears poised to impact nearly every aspect of human life, from work to interpersonal relationships, education, mental health, and beyond. We invite submissions that probe the anthropological dimensions of AI: how it affects and is affected by human behavior, social norms, and cultural practices. How is AI (re)shaping what it means to be human? And is humanity shaping AI? How does the implementation of AI technologies differ (or not) between communities around the world? What are the implications of AI on our understanding of consciousness, identity, or even reality itself? How can we understand AI in the broader history of humans and technology? In what ways does AI challenge traditional anthropological concepts, theories, and methodologies? Where are there opportunities? How might AI-enabled tools aid (or challenge) the ways anthropologists and/or the general public investigate and understand the past, e.g., archaeological site discovery, analysis of ancient DNA or skeletal remains, reconstructing past events, or artifact preservation?
Topics could include, but are not limited to:
- Ethnographic studies on the integration of AI in various cultures
- The influence of AI on human relationships and communication
- Anthropological perspectives on technology development machine learning and algorithmic biases
- Integration of AI into field methods for bioarchaeology of evolutionary studies
- Ethical considerations surrounding AI in anthropological research across subfields
As Anthropology News has gone fully digital, we encourage a diversity of formats: analytical essays, fieldwork-based studies, photo essays, graphic art, and multimedia pieces such as podcasts or short documentaries. Anthropology News, as the American Anthropological Association’s (AAA) award-winning member magazine, is committed to presenting compelling stories through an anthropological lens to a broad audience, whether anthropologists or anyone interested in anthropology. Vivid description, captivating tales, and adventurous forms of writing are at the heart of what we do. Think short-form magazine-style stories with scientific bite—low on jargon, high on storytelling. Read more about us here, and consider how you might tell anthropological stories for a general audience as you consider the direction of your pitch.
Please submit a 300-word pitch that outlines the core idea of your piece, along with a 50-word bio through our submission form by February 23, 2024. For photo essays, include one or two sample images. For graphic anthropology submissions, provide examples of your work. For multimedia pieces, include a brief clip or audio sample.
First drafts will be due by March 27 and will undergo a collaborative editing process with AN’s editorial team. Feature articles should be approximately 2,000 words. Photo essays should include six to eight high-resolution images accompanied by a 750-word introductory essay. Graphic anthropology pieces can span up to six online pages. Multimedia works should aim for around 10 minutes in length.