Marta Cuciurean-Zapan, EPIC2023 Co-chair

“Our keenest insight and most powerful impact come when we cross boundaries, forge partnerships, and challenge conventional wisdom.” Marta reflects on Friction in light of new debates around the value of ethnography, and the application of ethnographic skills to organizational dynamics.
EPIC2023 Proceedings & Video ▸

Erin B. Taylor, EPIC2022 Co-chair

“Who should flex, resist, or adapt? What should be restored, abandoned, or reinvented? Resilience explores the ways organizations, products, services, communities, and our own work can learn, adapt and evolve.” Erin discusses her initial doubts about ‘Resilience’ and how the team crafted a unique, interactive program.
EPIC2022 Proceedings & Video ▸

Dawn Nafus, EPIC2018 Co-chair

“How is evidence created, used, and abused? Research is proliferating, yet the connection between evidence and decisions seems more tenuous than ever.” Dawn reflects on ‘Evidence’ in a year dominated by chatbots, the decoupling of end user value from profit, and why we need to marshal ethnographic crafts to center climate change.
EPIC2018 Proceedings & Video ▸

Rita Denny, EPIC2017 Co-chair

“Perspectives explores the vantage points that empower and constrain our work and our organizations. What comes of changing scope; shifting positions; subverting norms?” Connecting the 2017 and 2024 themes, Rita argues that by engaging diverse perspectives and building creative partnerships, we can re-frame the nature of problems and solutions.
EPIC2017 Proceedings & Video ▸

John Payne, EPIC2012 Co-chair

John describes the theme of “Renewal” as a response to the previous three years of economic recession and rise of the global Occupy movement. Are ethnographers agents of renewal or do they have a role to play in challenging the agendas pushing for renewal?
EPIC2012 Proceedings ▸

Tracey Lovejoy, EPIC Co-founder; EPIC2005 & 2006 Co-chair

Tracey remembers the first EPIC conferences and early debates over terminology and theory. She urges researchers today to clarify what it is about our craft that is irreplaceable.
EPIC2005 Proceedings ▸
EPIC2006 Proceedings ▸

Martha Cotton, EPIC2008 & EPIC2009 Co-chair

Martha draws parallels between today and 2009, when a deep recession caused widespread layoffs. She also reflects on the rise of AI through the lens of EPIC2009, when we observed the deskilling and “commodification” of ethnography and research.
EPIC2008 Proceedings ▸
EPIC2009 Proceedings ▸

Rick Robinson, EPIC2005 Keynote Speaker & Tony Salvador, EPIC2007 Keynote Speaker

In this special two part season finale, Martha Cotton (co-chair in 2007 and 2009) sits down with Rick and Tony discuss the past twenty years of EPIC conferences, and the impact of bringing together people with diverse backgrounds.
EPIC2005 Proceedings ▸
EPIC2007 Proceedings ▸