Call for Participation

Proposal Deadline:
FEBRUARY 16
*No Extensions This Year!

THEME

KEY DATES

EVALUATION & SELECTION

SUBMISSION
RULES

PAPERS

CASE STUDIES

PECHAKUCHA

ARTISTIC INTERVENTIONS

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES

GRADUATE COLLOQUIUM

evaluation & SELECTION

Proposals are evaluated through peer review or jury. Each format has slightly different proposal requirements, so please read about your chosen format carefully before submitting.

Paper, Case Study, and PechaKucha proposals are evaluated through a double-anonymous peer-review process (author and reviewer are both anonymous to each other) overseen by program committee chairs. Final selections are made by conference chairs in collaboration with committees. Reviewers are asked to consider:

• Does the submission make a valuable contribution to EPIC? Reviewers consider whether new ideas, practices, or analyses are offered. Originality, bridge-building, and synthesis are all forms of contribution.
• Is prior work adequately considered and built on?
• Are the evidence and argument compelling and credible?
• Is the proposal composed and presented clearly?
• Does the proposal productively engage the EPIC2024 theme?

Artistic Intervention, Interactive Experience, and Graduate Colloquium proposals are juried by committee and have unique evaluation criteria discussed below.

Submission Rules

• Individuals may submit only a single proposal as a primary/first author. The exception is the Graduate Colloquium (applicants to the Colloquium may submit as primary author to another track).
• Committee members may not submit a proposal to their own track but may submit to another track.
• The author (or at least one author if there are multiple) must pay for and attend the in-person conference to present their work. All registration discounts are offered based on financial need (presenters do not automatically receive a discount). We encourage presenters to contact us about scholarships: conference@epicpeople.org.
• Authors of accepted proposals will commit to meeting a series of deadlines and working closely with a curator to develop and refine a great presentation and published text. Before submitting a proposal, please ensure all co-authors have the time and interest to engage in this process.
• Authors of Papers and Case Studies will make presentations and write full-length articles. Articles (and abstracts for other formats) will be published in the open-access journal Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference Proceedings (ISSN 1559-8918) and in the EPIC library. All co-authors are required to sign a publication agreement.
• All presenters must sign media agreements that allow EPIC to video record conference events and share video in the EPIC library.
• Legal and ethical responsibilities:
  • All research conducted and data gathered for projects represented in proposals, presentations, and articles must reflect high ethical standards with respect to consent, privacy, transparency, accountability, human rights, social justice, safety, diversity, power disparities, systemic impacts, and other immediate or future impacts and harms.
  • Authors must have all documented consent and permissions required to present and publish (including live event, video recording, and published proceedings) all materials they intend to use, including but not limited to data, research, insights, organizational/product/project information, art, photos, and illustrations. Consent and permission refer not only to legal requirements and organizational policies, but to individuals represented.

PaperS

What is a Paper?

Papers are original works that expand our community’s knowledge and reflect constructively on frameworks, methodological advances, or issues of the day. They go beyond reporting on individual projects to synthesize areas of work, catalyze new directions, and address shared challenges and opportunities we face across a range of contexts. Papers must demonstrate the links between new insights and ongoing debates in ways that build on the work of others, referencing other projects, concepts, or data sources.

Ideally, papers should offer value to ethnographers and colleagues working across sectors, industries, geographies, and cultural contexts. Successful submissions will utilize foundations to catalyze new futures in ethnographic theory and practice.

2024 Theme

We invite paper proposals that engage the EPIC2024 theme TWENTY: Foundations, Displacement, Generation to advance ethnography and emphasize the interplay between theory and practice.

Papers should bridge the concepts of Foundations, Displacement, Generation to explore the overlaps, possibilities, and contradictions of these concepts. They should develop novel approaches and frameworks that address shifting socio-cultural, technological, and economic landscapes.

We encourage papers that engage and reflect on resources in EPIC’s rich library to engage past debates while envisioning innovative partnerships and pathways forward. For example, papers might demonstrate or construct arguments about:

• enduring principles and significant achievements of the field
• constraints on current ethnographic practice
• exclusions or omissions of the field to date, and how it can be expanded or reoriented
• new partnerships that can expand the possibilities of ethnography and ensure that the field evolves dynamically
• New paradigms made possible by displacement and epistemic flux

Authors who are new to the EPIC community and less familiar with the EPIC library should, if their proposal is accepted, be committed to engaging with additional EPIC articles suggested by reviewers and curators during the writing process.

Review, Presentation, and Publication

Papers undergo double-anonymous peer review (reviewers and authors are anonymous to each other) overseen by the Papers Committee Chairs. Authors receive at least two reviews and one meta-review. We can generally accept only 25–30% of the excellent proposals that we receive, and we value every submission.

Authors make a presentation at EPIC2024 Los Angeles, which is video recorded and published in the EPIC Library. Authors also write a paper of approximately 5–7,000 words for publication in the journal 2024 EPIC Proceedings. 

Proposal Requirements

Proposals must include the following elements:

• Title
• Abstract: maximum 750 words that includes your main argument, key insights, and sources (whether original research or a critical review of others). Word count does not include citations, but you should only cite material that is discussed directly in your abstract; the full reference list is a separate section of your proposal.
• Outline and References: a detailed outline demonstrating the main points and progression of your argument (1-2 pages, not including citations) and a list of references to the relevant literature, research, and data sources from which your paper will draw.
• Statement of Contribution: 150 words maximum on your submission’s contributions to the EPIC community. What will we learn? How can we apply that learning?

To ensure anonymous peer review, do not name or reference the identity or affiliations of any co-authors within the proposal document itself. You will enter this information separately in the submission process.

Additional guidelines for developing, formatting, and delivering final papers and conference presentations will be provided to authors whose proposals are accepted.

How to Submit

Please don’t forget to read the submission rules, the complete conference theme, and all proposal requirements!

Submissions are accepted until February 16. NO EXTENSIONS this year. (We’re not joking! Sorry!)

** To submit, please follow this link.

Questions?

We welcome you to reach out! Papers@epicpeople.org

CASE STUDies

In the spirit of our theme TWENTY: Foundations, Displacement, Generation, we invite proposals that engage the dynamic legacies of organizations, industries, and ethnographic work; illuminate the role of ethnography in responding to cultural shifts or driving change; address new partnerships or emerging contexts; or critically propose new ways of working to inform the next twenty years of our practice.

What is a Case Study?

Case studies are real-world examples of ethnographic work that demonstrate business or organizational impact.

Cases should emphasize how ethnographic practice and theory (perhaps in conjunction with other approaches) addressed a specific organizational challenge/opportunity and made a substantive impact for the organization. The emphasis is not on the execution of methods as much as the organizational or industry context and how ethnography fueled concrete outcomes. Cases are expected to offer lessons learned for wider applicability: They are teaching tools to learn from each other and build value for ethnographic approaches in organizations.

Case studies share positive lessons and results, but should not be simplistic, glossy narratives. They should also describe any challenges, setbacks, iterations, and reorientations that reflect the way projects frequently unfold—these are a crucial source of learning, creativity, and innovation.

A case study is:

• An in-depth look at one project (or a small number of closely interrelated projects within an initiative)
• Grounded in specific examples from the project
• Usually based on first-hand experience
• Able to demonstrate the value and impact of the work
• If methods based, pushing the bounds and edges of our practice through novel or creative means

A case study is not:

• Based on planned or incomplete work
• Based on speculative value or outcomes
• A synthetic analysis across multiple projects (this might be more appropriate as a Paper submission)
• Focused solely on widely documented approaches, methods, and outcomes

Review, Presentation, and Publication

Case Study proposals undergo a double-anonymous peer review process (reviewers and authors are anonymous to each other) overseen by the case studies committee chairs. Authors receive at least two reviews and one meta-review. We can generally accept only 25–30% of the excellent proposals that we receive, and we value every submission.

Case Study authors make a presentation at EPIC2024 in Los Angeles, which is video recorded and published in the EPIC Library. Authors also produce a written article of approx. 3–6,000 words for publication in the journal 2024 EPIC Proceedings.

Proposal Requirements

Proposals must include the following elements:

• Title
• Abstract of maximum 500 words. Word count does not include citations, but you should only cite material that is discussed directly in your abstract (the full reference list is a separate section of your proposal).
• Outline and References: a detailed outline demonstrating the main points and progression of your argument (1-2 pages, not including citations) and a list of references to the relevant literature, research, and data sources that your case study will draw on and/or directly discuss.
• Statement of Impact: 150 words maximum about the outcomes and impacts of ethnography that are demonstrated by your case study.
• Statement of Contribution: 150 words maximum about the contribution of your case study to the EPIC community. What will we learn, and how can we apply that learning to other cases and contexts?

To ensure anonymous peer review, do not name or reference the identity or affiliations of any co-authors within the proposal document itself. You will enter this information separately in the submission process. 

Additional guidelines for developing, formatting, and delivering final case studies and conference presentations will be provided to authors whose proposals are accepted.

How to Submit

Please don’t forget to read the submission rules, the complete conference theme, and all proposal requirements!

Submissions are accepted until February 16. NO EXTENSIONS this year. (We’re not joking! Sorry!)

** To submit, please follow this link.

Questions?

We welcome you to reach out! CaseStudies@epicpeople.org

PechaKucha

What is a PechaKucha?

PechaKucha (pronounced: “peh-cha-ku-cha”) presentations are captivating performances of 20 image-rich slides that show for 20 seconds each (total 6 minutes, 40 seconds). They are performance poetry with visual punch. PechaKucha offer a visual and reflective format for sharing unique insights, perspectives, juxtapositions, and provocations about ethnographic work. These proposals undergo double anonymous review by committee.

EPIC PechaKucha is your chance to make ethnography visually and verbally lyrical. The best PechaKucha tell a compelling, relevant story. They are a performance—they are not mini project debriefs stuffed with findings and results.

2024 Theme 

In line with this year’s conference theme TWENTY: Foundations, Displacement, Generation, we invite PechaKucha that reflect on topics such as: How have you interpreted, extended, or challenged foundations? What are the pivotal moments of transition in your own work? In what ways has your practice reckoned with displacement and/or taken risks because of it? What is the value ethnography can bring in creating the next twenty years? Tell us about the subtle – or seismic – shifts you are noticing and what could grow in the cracks created.

Review, Presentation, and Publication

PechaKucha proposals undergo double-anonymous peer review (reviewers and authors are anonymous to each other) overseen by the PechaKucha Committee Chairs. Authors receive at least two reviews and one meta-review. We can generally accept only 25–30% of the excellent proposals that we receive, and we value every submission.

PechaKucha are presented at EPIC2024 in Los Angeles and are video recorded and published in the EPIC Library. Creators also produce a brief synopsis of the for publication in the journal 2024 EPIC Proceedings.

Proposal Requirements

PechaKucha proposals undergo double-anonymous peer review (reviewers and authors are anonymous to each other) overseen by the

Proposals must include the following elements:

• Title
• Abstract of your overall story, 200 words maximum
• Draft PechaKucha presentation: Slides and script are expected to be in draft form (placeholder images and bullet points are completely acceptable!) but should convey your content and style. Images in the proposal must be low- to medium-resolution to reduce file size (low resolution will not affect the evaluation of your proposal). You must have the right to use final images in your PechaKucha presentation.
• Statement of Contribution: 150 words maximum about the contribution of your PechaKucha to the EPIC community.

To facilitate anonymous review, do not name or reference the identity or affiliations of any co-authors within the proposal document itself. You will enter this information separately in the submission process.

How to Submit

Please don’t forget to read the submission rules, the complete conference theme, and all proposal requirements!

Submissions are accepted until February 16. NO EXTENSIONS this year. (We’re not joking! Sorry!)

** To submit, please follow this link.

Questions?

We welcome you to reach out! PechaKucha@epicpeople.org

Artistic Interventions

What is an Artistic Intervention?

Artistic Interventions is a space to imagine and argue for different livable futures through a range of media that activate and engage all our senses. We encourage artistic interventions that experiment with, interrogate and contemplate the conference theme—foundations, displacement, generation—and invite spectators to see differently. These submissions should push the boundaries of multi-sensorial representation and how we can be more effective at inspiring organizations, society, and individuals to act toward those more livable futures.

The goal of the Artistic Interventions track is to create different ways of sharing embodied, tacit knowledge, and to raise philosophical, economic, and political questions around our work and futures. As ethnographers in industry, how can we use art to create new narratives and perspectives that challenge existing power structures and promote critical thinking and reflection? To promote inclusive futures that prioritize human well-being and agency? To recognize histories and events as futures that have already occurred but are never fully recognized? To develop technology that promotes equitable access to services, products and resources? And of course, to reflect on our own unique position and experiences as ethnographers?

We invite all makers who critically and creatively engage with media from an artistic ethnographic lens—filmmakers, animators, sculptors, installation artists, photographers, game developers—to submit proposals.

Artistic Interventions vs. Interactive Experiences

We recognize there may be some overlap between the Artistic Interventions and Interactive Experiences tracks. Please read the details for each track carefully, but if you are not sure whether to submit to Artistic Interventions or to Interactive Experiences you can email art@epicpeople.org and/or experiences@epicpeople.org to chat about it, or just go ahead and submit to either one! The committees will work together to have the appropriate committee review your submission.

Exhibition/Presentation Spaces

The following exhibition spaces and screening venues will be available for artistic interventions:

• Theaters: presented media, performances
• Main Lobby: installations, performances, and other work that does not require a screen or A/V equipment
• Classrooms: Media loops, stand-alone installations, 2 and 3-D media exhibit

Please note: We do not currently have a budget to support production, shipping, or installation of materials. We are still working with the venue to determine furniture and equipment that may be available to us, and at what cost; we ask that you indicate your needs in your proposal (below). Overnight security is not available at our main venue, but it may be possible to store materials in a locked classroom. If you are concerned about these things, please reach out: art@epicpeople.org

Proposal Evaluation and Selection

Artistic Interventions submissions will NOT be anonymized in the review process. They will be juried and curated by committee.

Proposal Requirements

Please include all of the following in the submission form:

• Title
• Short Description (200 words maximum) that addresses:
  • What will the audience experience? (Is it a film? An Installation? A Performance?)
  • What is the artwork about? What are its themes?
  • How does the format (e.g., film/video/performance/sculpture, etc.) convey the perspective you seek to share with others at this conference?
• Artistic Statement (500 words maximum). Please address:
  • What is the intent and vision of the artwork?
  • How does the artwork relate to the idea of livable futures and the conference theme foundations, displacement, generation?
• Technical Details, which will be specific to the format of your work but may include:
  • What are the dimensions of the work (e.g., runtime, weight, size)?
  • Does the work need furniture, mounting, or a/v, or have spatial requirements beyond the size of the piece itself? (we are still working with the venue to determine what is available to us and the costs).
• Work Sample: A relevant excerpt or sample of the work to give the committee a clear sense of the artistic direction via a link to a cloud-based drive. Examples for some formats are provided below, but please do not feel that your submissions must be limited by these formats—we strongly encourage experimental, multi-sensorial formats and media!
  • Film/Video/Animation: a 2–5-minute trailer of a work in progress or finished piece that is under 15 minutes
  • Photo Essay: a PDF containing a selection of images that will be part of the final work
  • Audio: a 2–5-minute sample of a work in progress
  • Sculpture/Material Artefact: a rough sketch with the dimensions (size/weight) of the work
• Statement of Contribution, 150 words maximum: How does your proposed work contribute to the EPIC community?

How to Submit

Please don’t forget to read the submission rules, the complete conference theme, and all proposal requirements!

Submissions are accepted until February 16. NO EXTENSIONS this year. (We’re not joking! Sorry!)

** To submit, please follow this link.

Questions?

Please reach out! Art@epicpeople.org

Interactive Experiences

Interactive Experiences are real-time, co-creative activities that engage EPIC participants during the conference. Your session should be a concept that provokes, tantalizes, and engages conference participants, actively engaging them in the co-creative process. We invite you to seize the spirit of the conference in our 20th year with either analog or digital approaches (or a combination!) that lean into our imaginations, invite playfulness, and push into the future of EPICs (and ethnography) to come.

What are Interactive Experiences?

Within the Interactive Experiences Track, we are looking for two types of submissions:

1. Guided Experiences
2. Autonomous Experiences

Please note: We do not currently have a budget to support production, shipping, or installation of materials. We are still working with the venue to determine furniture and equipment that may be available to us; please indicate your needs in your proposal (below) and we will do our best! Overnight security is not available at our main venue, but it may be possible to store materials in a locked classroom. If you are concerned about these things, please reach out: experiences@epicpeople.org

Guided Experiences

A host or facilitator guides attendees in a real-time, co-creative experience. Examples from past conferences include guided meditation, or sound walk tours. Your Guided Experience may unfold:

• On site at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center / BroadStage in a 10–60-minute session. The session can be a brief experience or an hour-long interactive session. For on-site experiences, available spaces include classrooms, the plaza area, and theater lobbies.
• Off site on Sunday, 18 August. The duration of the experience is not limited as long as it ends in time for participants to travel to the reception. Pre-registration will be available.

Please note: Standard professional development workshops are not the focus of this track.

Autonomous Experiences

Autonomous Experiences are self-guided experiences where participants engage with the activity on their own. Examples from past conferences include sketchnoting, or the infamous “Video Confessional” booth. Autonomous Experiences are:

• Available for participants to interact with for one to three days
• Available on site in lobby/catering areas, and/or available online
• For on-site Interactive Experiences, available spaces include classrooms, the plaza area, and theater lobbies.
• Self-serve Interactive Experiences should be suitable for engagement during coffee breaks (30 min) and lunch time (90 min)

Interactive Experiences vs. Artistic Interventions

We recognize there may be some overlap between the Artistic Interventions and Interactive Experiences tracks. Please read the details for each track carefully, but if you are not sure whether to submit to Artistic Interventions or to Interactive Experiences you can email art@epicpeople.org and/or experiences@epicpeople.org to chat about it, or just go ahead and submit to either one! The committees will work together to have the appropriate committee review your submission.

Proposal, Evaluation, and Selection

Interactive Experiences submissions will NOT be anonymized in the review process. They will be juried and curated by committee.

Proposal Requirements

• Select “Guided Experience” or “Autonomous Experience” in the proposal form
• Title
• Duration of the proposed experience
• Maximum or minimum number of participants, if applicable
• Cost to participants for off-site experiences, if any
• Space, materials, and installation requirements. If you envision needing a table, plinth, or other furniture or equipment, please describe (we are still working with the venue to determine what is available to us and the costs).
• Creator’s Statement, 500 words maximum: This should describe your vision for the Interactive Experience and how it will engage people, connect to the theme, speak to ethnography, and contribute to the EPIC community. Please include images or examples that help the committee envision your vision!
• Statement of Contribution, 150 words maximum: How does your proposed work contribute to the EPIC community?

How to Submit

Please don’t forget to read the submission rules, the complete conference theme, and all proposal requirements!

Submissions are accepted until February 16. NO EXTENSIONS this year. (We’re not joking! Sorry!)

** To submit, please follow this link.

Questions?

Please reach out! Experiences@epicpeople.org

Graduate Colloquium

The graduate colloquium is a forum for master’s and PhD students engaged in supervised thesis research to:

• Present and discuss their work with senior ethnographers working in private, public, and nonprofit sector organizations;
• Learn skills for communicating expertise and capabilities in a range of organizational settings, including the job search and hiring processes;
• Explore career pathways, goals, and strategies with mentors and a cohort of peers.

We welcome applicants from any discipline who engage ethnography (theory and/or methodology) in the context of organizations or social institutions. This year’s Colloquium is designed to augment the professionalization of graduate programs by:

• Creating opportunities for Colloquium participants to experiment with their professional identity, rebrand their work, and better understand industry roles
• Providing pre-conference networking opportunities with seasoned EPIC professionals and potential mentors
• Offering a venue for students to contribute thinking, theories, and methods, and become active members of a professional community

The Graduate Colloquium will consist of a series of five online roundtables and workshops, culminating in a presentation to a panel of senior EPIC members followed by discussion and feedback. Colloquium participants are expected to attend all sessions. Online roundtables and workshop topics include:

• Key differences between post graduate career tracks (consulting / tech / public sector / DEI / corporate / startups / etc.)
• Post-graduate identity and personal well-being
• Developing a portfolio talk from a thesis/dissertation, graduate research, volunteer or contract projets, and other experience
• Understanding job search and the goals of hiring managers (and how to make their job easier)
• Using EPIC as a springboard into a professional life

Successful colloquium applicants will commit to:

• Participating in a series of online workshops/roundtables on topics such as communicating to different audiences, exploring career opportunities, etc.
• Participating in one-on-one office hours with to develop their approach to presenting their doctoral or masters work in organizational and job-related contexts
• Presenting and discussing your work to a panel of senior researchers in the EPIC community at EPIC2024
• Co-authoring a short piece to be published in the EPIC Proceedings

Review and Selection Process

Proposals are reviewed by the Colloquium committee and are NOT anonymized. Each applicant will receive at least two reviews. The evaluation and selection of proposals will be based on:

• the clarity and quality of the application;
• the ability of the EPIC community to provide valuable mentorship with respect to the applicant’s research and career goals; and
• the alignment between the applicant’s work and EPIC’s mission to promote the integration of ethnographic principles, social and cultural perspectives, and a dynamic approach to theory and method into business and organizational practice.

Proposal Requirements

Submissions must include the following elements:

• Select in-person (Los Angeles) or online for the main presentation and discussion of your work with senior EPIC members (online capacity is limited; see FAQ)
• Working Title of your master’s or doctoral project
• Research Overview: 2-3 page statement about your doctoral or master’s research, including: your research problem; research questions; core theory and methods; current status of your course of study and expected completion date; and expected contributions to your field of interest.
• Statement of Goals: 150 words maximum. Describe your career goals, which may be either academic or non-academic, and what you hope to gain from the colloquium and EPIC2024 generally.
• Statement of Contribution 150 maximum. Describe how your work might contribute to ethnographic practice.
• Biographical Statement, 150 words maximum.
• Letter of Recommendation (optional) from a research mentor or advisor, sent directly to Colloquium@epicpeople.org

How to Submit

Please don’t forget to read the submission rules, the complete conference theme, and all proposal requirements!

Submissions are accepted until February 16. NO EXTENSIONS this year. (We’re not joking! Sorry!)

** To submit, please follow this link.

FAQ

I’m not in an anthropology or sociology department, will this hurt my application?

Absolutely not—and in fact, our goal is that the colloquium represents a range of disciplines. EPIC People have backgrounds in diverse fields, and our work is collaborative and interdisciplinary. Common fields represented by colloquium participants include social science disciplines, information and computer science, design, business and marketing, public health and health sciences, humanities, and many others. If you feel the colloquium is relevant for you, please do not be dissuaded because you are concerned about whether you are in the “right field”.

What if I can’t attend the conference in LA?

Attending the EPIC conference is a powerful experience for colloquium participants, but we recognize how challenging it can be for students to attend, particularly considering average student incomes, travel costs, and work and family commitments. This year, in addition to a cohort of students who will attend sessions online and in-person in Los Angeles, we will support a small number of students in a parallel, online version of the portion of the colloquium that happens in Los Angeles (final presention and discussion of their work with a panel of senior practitioners). EPIC is a nonprofit organization powered by volunteers, and we hope to expand online participation in the future. You will be asked to specify in your application which you are applying for.

Will my application be weak if I can’t acquire letters of recommendation in time for the proposal deadline?

Letter of recommendation are optional. That policy sounds like it would disadvantage applicants who can’t get letters or can’t get them on time; however, letters are not a central part of our decision-making process for acceptance to the colloquium. Letters can help us understand more about the context of your program and research, but your own articulation of your research and career goals is much more important, and the the ability of the EPIC and our 2024 mentors to support you and your career goals is extremely important. Please review the section above, “Review and Selection Process”.

Do you offer financial support?

EPIC is a nonprofit organization with limited funds, and we do everything we can to support students and others who face financial barriers to participation. The student registration rate is more than 60% off the regular rate. To receive complimentary conference registration, colloquium participants are invited to accept volunteer roles in Los Angeles. We also suggest students explore funding opportunities with their departments.

Questions?

Please reach out! Colloquium@epicpeople.org