Anthropologically Speaking

Happy Birthday to US! Join Katie, Iz, and Isabelle in this gleeful half hour of banter reflecting on our first year of producing Anthropologically Speaking. It's not a conventional episode, nor is it particularly educational, but we hope you'll share some laughs with us while getting the inside scoop on our show's journey!

"Cold cold heart, hard done by you..." turns out, sacrifice isn't just an Elton John song! Join Katie and Isabelle as they talk with PhD candidate Ben Schaefer about his incredible research examining stress through cortisol levels in the hair of ancient sacrifice victims. It's sure to be a hair-raising episode!

Vampires, zombies, ghosts, and of course giggles... that's what Katie, Iz, and Isabelle are serving up for you this week! Join us for this spookily special Halloween episode, or beware!

Animals-- cute, cuddly, and more often than not, our better halves. But what connection might exist between human relationships with animals and racism? In this episode, Katie and Isabelle talk with anthrozoologist Maythe Han about animal kinship in its capacity as a purveyor of status and as an outlet for racism.

Anthropology isn't just the study of humans... there's some incredible anthro research about our non-human primate friends, too! Join Katie and Isabelle as they talk to Texas State PhD student Kaelyn Dobson about all things monkeys! With topics from gut microbiomes to monkey antics, this episode is sure not bonoboring! (Yes, we recognize that that is an awful pun). 

In this episode, Katie and Isabelle talk to special guest Chris Aris, a dental anthropologist. Tune in to learn about the merits of histology, the ethics of destroying human remains for valuable testing, and what we can learn from teeth in the archaeological record!

There's nothing to abduct your attention like a half hour chat about aliens! Join Katie and Isabelle for an interesting episode discussion aliens, alien abductions, and some theories on who exactly gets abducted!

Psst... wanna hear a secret? They don't want you to know this, but this is a really interesting episode! This week, Katie and Isabelle discuss conspiracy theories, and what makes people cling to them. Watch out, we'll be revealing some truths.

"Cults"... mysterious, enigmatic, and sorta scary-- on some level, we all know what a "cult" or New Religious Movement is, but what makes a "cult" a "cult"? In this episode, Katie and Isabelle unpack the basics of what are popularly referred to as "cults," and explore some popular cults of the recent past and present. Join us! (as in listening to the episode, not like, joining a cult or something).

You've (probably, if you've been listening) heard of Forensic Anthropology, but have you heard of Forensic Archaeology? In this episode, Katie and Isabelle explore the ins and outs of the discipline, from planning to excavation to collection!

In this episode, Katie and Isabelle talk about the wonders of teeth! Join us as we introduce you to the human dentition and its anthropological significance. It's sure to be tooth-riffic! (that was an awful pun, please forgive us).

Still not disillusioned with illness and disease? Then this one's for you! In this solo episode, Katie discusses epidemiological transition theory-- what is it, and how has the disease landscape changed throughout time and space? Tune in to find out!

What is zooarchaeology, and what makes it so darn cool? Join Katie, Iz, and Isabelle as we chat with special guest Keira McCartney to talk all things animal bones!

In this episode, Katie and Isabelle dig deep into the nitty-gritty of human decomposition. Join us on a journey through putrefaction, autolysis, desiccation, and more thrilling processes!

We know all too much about what it's like to live through a plague these days... but how much do we know about the Black Death? Join Katie, Iz, and Isabelle (all three back at it again!) in casual conversation about plagues, buboes, and *all that jazz.*

Tattoos, piercings, and other body modifications... are they really a sign of deviance? Today, Katie and Iz explore different body modification techniques that have been employed throughout time and space, and ponder their cultural significance. From sweet tats to stretched necks, this episode has got it all!

In this episode, Katie and Isabelle talk all things mummies. You've probably heard about Egyptian mummies, but what about Chinchorro mummies? Or the bog people? Listen in to find out more!

Do bones really have anything to tell us? Today, Katie and Iz explore the sort of things that we can (and can't!) find out from bones, such as age, sex, stature, and ancestry. We look at some methodologies and how-tos as well, so listen in if you want to feel your own nuchal crest!

Palaeopathology is a pretty wide field, so today we're going to break it down into a specific subfocus: trauma. In this episode, Katie takes the reigns as she discusses how trauma can express skeletally, from cuts to punctures to the old classic, fractures.

This episode originally aired February 5, 2020 on 93.3 CFMU-FM in Hamilton, Ontario.

PhD candidate Sarah Duignan is no stranger to the microphone-- you can hear her on her own podcast, AnthroDish, every week! We were lucky to have her sit down with us to talk about her research and knowledge surrounding food and water, especially in collaborative Indigenous contexts. 

Want to find out more about her water security work in Six Nations? Check it out at http://www.ohneganos.com!

This episode originally aired January 29, 2020 on 93.3 CFMU-FM in Hamilton, Ontario.

Everybody loves to feel like they're stepping back into history, but what's going on behind the scenes? Today, Katie, Iz, and Isabelle explore the pros, cons, ups, and downs of touring archaeological sites, and discuss some of the the effects, intentional and unintentional, that colonialism has had on the legacy of archaeological sites around the world.

Originally aired January 22, 2020 on 93.3 CFMU-FM in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Everybody loves a good true crime story, and we're here to deliver! Let's make it a bit more educational, though, and really break down the methodology for you. Today, Katie, Iz, and Isabelle talk about the Pickton Pig Farm, John Wayne Gacy, and Bruce McArthur cases, and discuss how forensic anthropology and archaeology was employed in them.

Indiana Jones, Lara Croft, Temperance "Bones" Brennan-- you know 'em, you love 'em... but are they accurate depictions of anthropologists? Join Katie, Iz, and Isabelle as they discuss some of the, well, issues with these characters. Are they flawed? Absolutely. Do we still adore them? Heck yes.

Originally aired December 4, 2019, on 93.3 CFMU-FM in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

What is childhood bioarchaeology, and why is it so important? We talk with PhD candidate Creighton Avery to find out! Take a listen to find out more about strengths and challenges in childhood bioarchaeology, methodology in the field, and the amazing things that we can find out by investigating subadult skeletons!

Originally aired November 27, 2019 on 93.3 CFMU-FM in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Today we sit down with anthropology professor Dr. Rebecca Gilmour to chat about her experiences in the field of bioarchaeology, including some fun insights into palaeopathology, cemetery excavations, and disability & care! 

Originally aired November 20, 2019 on 93.3 CFMU-FM in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Here it is folks-- our first episode. Join Katie, Iz, and Isabelle as they introduce themselves, anthropology, and the show in general!

Originally aired November 13, 2019 on 93.3 CFMU-FM in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.