Anthropology graduate launches collaborative culture magazine
alumni
Cultural Anthropology students in Leiden are encouraged to think creatively and explore different ways of sharing knowledge, such as by producing zines. CADS graduate Dorota Olsavska combined her anthropological skills with her love for discovering little-known stories and writing, and earlier this year founded ‘gg place magazine’.
Can you tell a bit more about gg place?
“gg place is an international, independent culture magazine. It is a place for all humans who care about this interconnected world. We feature inspiring and impactful stories in collaboration with writers, researchers, artists and translators. The magazine is print-based and comes out four times a year. Each issue is devoted to a specific theme that responds to current challenges and broadens our understanding of the environments and changes around us.”
How did you come up with the idea to start gg place?
“The idea sparked about two years ago, when I was completing my master’s in anthropology at UvA. Having observed the immense talent in academic circles but a sense of disconnection from the public discourse, my wish was to create a place where important topics from anthropology (and beyond) can be shared and discussed in a shape and form that can be understood by everyone.”
Why is it important to have such a platform?
“gg place is a direct response to the collective anxiety that we feel right now. The future is uncertain, caught between geopolitical tensions, neo-colonial violence, imperial conquests, tech dystopias and rapid climate crisis escalation. The way out of this leads us back to each other, to compassion, cooperation, curiosity, learning and unity in our shared struggles.”
'To Touch': seeking stability in analogue media
“I sensed a growing shift in the generation of young adults to seek stability in analogue media. We are becoming more aware of the hostility of commercial digital spaces, as socials stir into a swirl of information overload curated for maximised addiction, and streaming services choose monetisation that does not actually allow you to touch anything with your hands. When physical media gets to you, it remains there. It does not shock you with unskippable ads or disrupt your circadian rhythm. It encourages you to take a break, find a quiet corner for yourself, crumple a page, stain it with morning coffee, leave a note here and there. Simply, embrace a different tempo and enjoy the moment.”
Pre-order 'To Touch' here
You studied Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology in Leiden. How does what you learned during the study inform your work at gg place?
“Being a full-time editor at gg place is continuous ethnographic fieldwork. I reach out to people from many places and walks of life, talk to them about their experiences, and read and workshop their stories. I basically revisit the practice of anthropology daily, and everything I learned about research methods, from ways of documenting my findings to ethics, comes in handy. Much of the anthropological theory that I learnt inspired the core principles of the magazine, such as decolonisation, identity, feminist studies, holistic philosophies and grass-roots approaches to storytelling.”
What do you hope to establish through gg place?
“I hope to create a place that is self-sustained, alive and responsive to the needs of this fast-paced world, where research blends with creative and experimental expression in a compelling and accessible way and where impactful and inspiring ideas can thrive. I see gg place as a new kind of print publication, travelling across bookshops and culture centres around the world, carried by an independent distribution community network.”
Want to contribute?
The magazine is always open to contributions. The themes are complex and can fit many angles and formats: from essays and interviews to photo-essays, prose, poetry and various reflections. Currently, the second issue is in preparation. It traces all kinds of movement, from bodies in motion to social activism. The third issue will look at the opposite dynamic of motion: rest. Keep an eye on the website for updates.
More info