About Us
ETHNOMAD is an independent ethnographic platform dedicated to documenting and sharing the living knowledge of cultures in transition. We focus on oral traditions, field-based storytelling, and ethnographic writing that connect readers with the depth and resilience of communities across the world.
Our work spans from the deserts of Rajasthan to the mountains of Baltistan, from remote Indonesian villages to the Sahel. At its core, ETHNOMAD is about listening closely, learning deeply, and writing with honesty about the ways people hold on to meaning in rapidly changing times.
We publish long-form articles, field reflections, and books that explore culture, identity, and humanity’s relationship with nature. Each month, readers can expect a new story enriched with photography and grounded in decades of field experience.
Fading Cultures remains a continuing project within ETHNOMAD: an ongoing series of stories, research, and occasional print editions focused on communities whose traditions and lands are under pressure. It is one part of a broader ethnographic journey.
Through ETHNOMAD, we aim to create writing and visual work that endures—contributing not only to the record of cultural heritage but also to the conversations about how humanity chooses to live, adapt, and remember.
Tom Corcoran
PhD, MSc, BSc, MM, ACP
Dr. Tom Corcoran is a Conservation Ethnographer, Humanitarian, and Global Explorer whose life’s work is a journey through fading traditions and enduring cultural wisdom. With over four decades of field experience across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, Dr. Corcoran has worked alongside Indigenous, tribal, and traditional communities, documenting cultural resilience in the face of displacement, development, and climate change.
A former National Geographic Global Explorer, Dr. Corcoran is also a seasoned humanitarian practitioner, having led and coordinated major emergency responses in some of the world’s most challenging environments. From post-earthquake recovery in Indonesia to the Beirut Port Blast response in Lebanon, from drought and flood emergencies in Afghanistan to supporting large-scale displacements in Bangladesh, Jordan, and Tanzania, his work has bridged cultural preservation with humanitarian action.
As the founder and Editor-in-Chief of ETHNOMAD, he blends ethnographic storytelling with documentary photography and longform journalism to elevate the voices of those often left out of global narratives. His fieldwork includes in-depth documentation of pastoralists, artisans, and oral historians in fragile and rapidly changing environments.
Dr. Corcoran has served as an advisor to United Nations agencies, international NGOs, and governments, producing cultural heritage reports, field studies, and educational resources for global dissemination. He is also a respected educator and mentor, having designed and taught university-level courses on ethnography, humanitarian fieldwork, and ethical representation.
In 2025, he launched the Global Ethnographer Programme, supporting early-career researchers with immersive field placements and training across South Asia and Southeast Asia.
He holds degrees from UCC, UCD, and the University of Birmingham, and began his professional life as a master of Cultural Heritage, restoring heritage sites, from buildings to monuments, an early connection to place and permanence that continues to shape his ethnographic philosophy.
Jasmine San Jose - Aniukova
Jasmine is a seasoned global explorer with a background in Business Administration and Tourism and is the driving force behind the promotions and marketing strategy at ETHNOMAD and the Fading Cultures Magazine. Born in the Philippines, she embarked on her journey of discovery at a young age, leaving her homeland to pursue a career that would span continents and oceans. Over the past decade, Jasmine has navigated the world aboard cruisers and sailboats, immersing herself in the vibrant diversity of cultures, landscapes, and traditions.
From the bustling markets of Southeast Asia to the tranquil shores of the Mediterranean, Jasmine has cultivated a unique understanding of the intricate threads that weave humanity together. Her global perspective is deeply personal—her own family’s story reflects a beautiful diversity, with roots in the Philippines and connections across three continents, scattered between Eastern Europe and the United States.
Jasmine’s experiences have instilled in her a profound appreciation for the world’s cultural richness, making her a vital advocate for the ETHNOMAD mission to document, preserve, and celebrate traditions at risk of fading away. Her work draws inspiration from her love of storytelling and her belief that every culture, no matter how small or remote, has lessons to teach about resilience, identity, and humanity’s shared journey.
"Bringing Stories to Life Through the People WHo Live Them
