Looking for your next favorite podcast?

Graduate students in the Department of Anthropology, in partnership with the American Anthropological Association, have developed A Story of Us, a new podcast devoted to bringing the exciting field of anthropology to your ears.

"Anthropologists need a new way to distribute their research that is accessible to the general public,” said Mackie O’Hara, PhD student in anthropology and podcast team member. “A podcast that speaks to the most basic aspects of our field, but also incorporates the exciting, current research going on here at Ohio State seems like a great way to get the field of anthropology out there.”

O’Hara and Frances Sutton, fellow graduate student and podcast team member, tackle timely themes, drawing on the four subfields of anthropology: cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, archaeology and linguistics. Each semester, O’Hara, Sutton and a group of volunteer graduate students select a series-long theme and explore that theme in depth, introducing listeners to real-world applications that might be familiar.

Series 1, which began in September and continues through fall semester, focuses on the theme of migration and immigration. Podcasts cover issues from the Syrian refugee crisis to early hominin movement out of Africa. The series includes 10 episodes: five content episodes in which hosts review key issues about a related topic, and five conversation episodes with two Ohio State anthropologists discussing the issues in greater detail. Each episode is less than 30 minutes and accessible to anthropologists and non-anthropologists alike.

“I am passionate about this podcast because I think podcasts are the best way for people of all backgrounds to learn about and engage with the diverse field of anthropology,” said Sutton. “A Story of Us not only covers interesting and relevant topics, but allows us to share our field with anyone who has ever asked, ‘What do you do with a degree in anthropology?”

Series 2, which begins spring semester 2017, will address the topic of “Childhood.” Five episodes will explore childhood mortality, growth and development, motherhood, pathologies, and childhood in the archaeological record.

“Our podcasts are not only short and sweet, but also ear-catchingly interesting and eye-openingly informative,” said Sutton. “What more could you ask for in a podcast?”

Download past episodes and subscribe to future episodes of A Story of Us on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher and anywhere podcasts are found. Follow the students’ podcasts via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.