TEENography: Ethnography on Teenagers, by Teenagers

In the Thick of It · Jun 17, 2026 · 45m

What happens when studies on teenagers come from teenagers themselves, rather than adults? What insights emerge – or are clarified – when teenagers are placed as central analysts in their own lives?

These questions guide the work of the Museum of Contemporary American Teenagers (MoCAT). Started in 2017 by David Lopilato, anthropology teacher at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Bethesda, Maryland, MoCAT serves as a structure in which students can get anthropological training, spearhead full lifecycle research projects, take on leadership roles, manage and design exhibitions, grow…