

The Deep Dive
Philip McKenzie
The Deep Dive is a culture and insights podcast with Philip McKenzie, an anthropologist who uses his expertise in culture to advise organizations on how best to thrive in an increasingly challenging and uncertain environment. Every week, Philip goes below the surface with the people who matter the most.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 4, 2021 • 53min
Episode 52: How Artifacts Afford: A Conversation with Dr. Jenny L. Davis
In this conversation, Philip spends time Dr. Jenny L. Davis, author of How Artifacts Afford: The Power and Politics of Everyday Things. In their conversation, they discuss the conditions and frameworks that are part nuanced field of affordances. They cover the political choices of technology and culture and the inherent role that power plays in our design choices.
The Drop – The segment of the show where Philip and his guest share tasty morsels of intellectual goodness and creative musings.
Philip’s Drop: This Is How You Lose the Time War – Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone
Jenny’s Drop: Design Justice: Community Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need – Sasha Costanza-ChockSpecial Guest: Jenny L. Davis.

Jan 28, 2021 • 43min
Episode 51: Art + Faith: A Conversation with Makoto Fujimura
In this conversation, Philip spends time with renowned artist Makoto Fujimura. They discuss Mako’s new book Art + Faith: A Theology of Making and what it means to bring a spiritual practice to the process of making. How do we create space to care for culture even when there is strife at home and abroad.
The Drop – The segment of the show where Philip and his guest share tasty morsels of intellectual goodness and creative musings.
Philip’s Drop: Pretend It’s a City – Fran Lebowitz (via Netflix)
Mako’s Drop: Special Guest: Makoto Fujimura.

Jan 21, 2021 • 1h 4min
Episode 50: On Being Good Enough: A Conversation with Dr. Anne Stenros
In this conversation, Philip spends time with Dr. Anne Stenros. In 2016-2018, she was appointed as the first ever Chief Design Officer (CDO) of the city of Helsinki. Philip and Anne discuss the transferable knowledge of architecture, how we think about and design our cities and what does it mean to create a society that is focused “on being good enough”.
The Drop – The segment of the show where Philip and his guest share tasty morsels of intellectual goodness and creative musings.
Philip’s Drop: Joan Didion “The Center Will Not Hold”
Anne’s Drop: The discovery process of packing/unpacking/organizing your books and book shelves. Special Guest: Dr. Anne Stenros .

Jan 14, 2021 • 1h 2min
Episode 49: Viable Futures of 2021: A Conversation with Indy Johar
In this conversation, Philip spends time with Indy Johar, Co-Founder Project 00 and Dark Matter Labs. Indy and Phil discuss our current reality as we wrestle with COVID-19, a finalized Brexit and rising anti-democracy and insurrection in post election America. With this as a backdrop they discuss what is necessary to create a viable future that operates with a different value system.
The Drop – The segment of the show where Philip and his guest share tasty morsels of intellectual goodness and creative musings.
Philip’s Drop: Bartees Strange
Indy’s Drop: Listen for the post-pandemic signals in music and culture. Special Guest: Indy Johar.

Dec 17, 2020 • 55min
Episode 48: Privacy Is Power: A Conversation w/ Carissa Veliz
In this conversation, Philip spends time Carissa Véliz, an Associate Professor in Philosophy at the Institute for Ethics in AI, and a Fellow at Hertford College at the University of Oxford. She is the author of Privacy Is Power (Bantam Press) and the editor of the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Digital Ethics. They discuss her new book and dig into the concepts of privacy, data and why it matters to the quality and sanctity of our life.
The Drop – The segment of the show where Philip and his guest share tasty morsels of intellectual goodness and creative musings.
Philip’s Drop: Gangs of London
Carissa’s Drop:
The Lives of Others
Maya Angelou “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”
Elizabeth Strout “Olive, Again”Special Guest: Carissa Veliz.

Dec 10, 2020 • 39min
Episode 47: Culture, Design & Decolonization: A Conversation with Dean Dori Tunstall
In this conversation, Philip spends time with the Dean of Design at Ontario College of Art and Design University Dori Tunstall. Philip and Dean Tunstall discuss how culture and design impact one another as well as take on the idea and philosophy of decolonization in the design space and how diverse voices are incorporated at all levels.
The Drop – The segment of the show where Philip and his guest share tasty morsels of intellectual goodness and creative musings.
Philip’s Drop: Excellence
Dori’s Drop: Hiring for Decolonization, Diversity and Inclusion in the Creative Industries Micro-CertificationSpecial Guest: Dori Tunstall.

Dec 3, 2020 • 1h 3min
Episode 46: Psychophysics, Mysticism and Meaning: A Conversation with Erica Fretwell
In this conversation, Philip spends time with Prof. Erica Fretwell the author of Sensory Experiments: Psychophysics, Race, and the Aesthetics of Feeling. Erica and Philip discuss the arcane science of psychophysics and what it tells us about culture, race and the world around us.
The Drop – The segment of the show where Philip and his guest share tasty morsels of intellectual goodness and creative musings.
Philip’s Drop: Postwar – Tony Judt
Erica’s Drop: The Vow
Seduced: Inside the NXIVM CultSpecial Guest: Erica Fretwell.

Nov 19, 2020 • 1h 7min
Episode 45: How to Future: A Conversation with Scott Smith & Madeline Ashby
In this conversation, Philip spends time the authors of How To Future, Scott Smith and Madeline Ashby. The three of them dissect the lessons of the book How To Future and discuss how the roadmap outlined in their work applies to and shapes our notions of “futurism”
The Drop – The segment of the show where Philip and his guest share tasty morsels of intellectual goodness and creative musings.
Philip’s Drop:
David Byrne’s American Utopia
Madeline’s Drop:
Hench – Natalie Zina Walschots
Scott's Drop:
Devs
Dark
The Third Day
If Then – Jill Lapore
Special Guests: Madeline Ashby and Scott Smith.

Nov 12, 2020 • 51min
Episode 44: Integrative Thinking and the Process of Making Strategy: A Conversation with Jennifer Riel
In this conversation, Philip spends time with Jennifer Riel, IDEO Global Director, Strategy. Philip and Jennifer discuss the Integrative Thinking Model and how it informs and impacts an organizational strategy playbook.
The Drop – The segment of the show where Philip and his guest share tasty morsels of intellectual goodness and creative musings.
Philip’s Drop: Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life
Jennifer’s Drop: Schitt’s Creek
The Righteous Mind – Jonathan Haidt Special Guest: Jennifer Riel.

Nov 6, 2020 • 47min
Episode 43: Fluidity, Design and Equity: A Conversation with Garance Choko
In this conversation, Philip spends time with Garance Choko, the CEO of Coda Societies, a firm that shapes social and economic infrastructures to promote equity worldwide. They discuss Garance’s global work and how her thinking about fluid infrastructures informs her design perspective.
The Drop – The segment of the show where Philip and his guest share tasty morsels of intellectual goodness and creative musings.
Philip’s Drop: My Octopus Teacher
Garance’s Drop: Leon Ford
Leon Ford TwitterSpecial Guest: Garance Choko.