Paper Short Abstract:

Based on examples working in and engaging with the UK Government, the paper focuses on the potential and actual use of anthropology across three interlinked areas: (i) data generation and analysis, (ii) policy making and implementation, and (iii) understanding and shifting of institutional cultures.

Paper Abstract:

This paper examines the use of anthropology and ethnography in the UK Government, based on longstanding experience working in and engaging with UK Government. The authors are all trained anthropologists who are working in the British Civil Service.

Anthropology has a long history of contributing to policymaking and anthropologists are increasingly working in government. Nonetheless, the prioritisation of quantitative analysis across government often means that the discipline is still often misunderstood and overlooked, leading to a risk that complex issues are reduced to ‘legible’ metrics and unintended consequences of policy decisions remain unexamined. Despite increasing interest in anthropology from policymakers and willingness to engage/apply methods etc. from anthropologists, there remains a lack of understanding about its value for and in policymaking, and wider barriers and blockages preventing its uptake due to prevalent cultures of ‘good practice’ in social research and analysis.

This paper, and the project that underpins it, will help focus the conversation and offer clear, achievable means by which to begin to better utilise anthropology. It analyses a suite of examples of what has and hasn’t worked. The analysis focuses on the potential and actual use of anthropology across three interlinked areas of Government: (i) data generation and analysis, (ii) policy making and implementation, and (iii) understanding and shifting of institutional cultures. The paper also presents a series of recommendations on the uses of anthropology in Government.