As the resident anthropologist (or Ethnographic Researcher, as my formal title is) here at Socialsquare, I’m usually in charge of conducting user interviews and participant observation, which can inform the designs and concept we develop for our clients.

But another part of my job is to keep up with the latest developments at the intersection of the social sciences and the digital world. One of the best and most accessible researchers in this field is Mike Wesch, an anthropology professor at Kansas State University.

Dubbed “The Explainer” by Wired magazine, Wesch has won fame for his fantastic short videos explaining how being social in the digital world forces us to rethink fundamental concepts such as copyright, authorship, governance, and commerce:

His latest video is a 45-minute presentation of his anthropological research of how Youtube users socialize by sharing their videos and responding to the videos of others. It is a thoughtful, fun, and very worthwhile presentation of how new social tools are being appropriated and used as new forms of expression:

If you liked the short video, you’ll definitely enjoy this presentation. So make sure to take the time to watch it.