anthropological lego friends
When students or other interested parties ask me what anthropologists could do outside academia, in the industry in particular, I maintain a threefold answer. In the industry anthropologists 1) do research on organizations—amounting to something like consultancy, 2) do market research, and 3) are participating in product design—especially user-centered design comes to mind. Well, as it seems anthropologists had a hand in the ↑meanwhile available new series LEGO friends, which triggered some ↑discussion on gendered toys. Businessweek has a ↑longer story on LEGO friends, and ↑Andrew wrote at ↑the brothers brick: ‘For those of you out there who’ve made statements about gender stereotyping, take a look at this photo of set 3933 Olivia’s Inventor’s Workshop: That’s right—Olivia has invented herself a robot in her laboratory through the use of math and science.’ [I of course chose the picture not for the gender-thing but for the robot—will recreate it in a second.]