People-Centered Research & Stories
Dismantle Culture & Media was founded by two women with PhDs and a shared belief that social science and humanities research can help communities, small businesses, and public-serving agencies reach their goals. What began as Dismantle Magazine—a publication for scholars and creatives to share their work—is now a research firm helping organizations stay connected to their values while solving complex problems.
Our work has taken us into communities and organizations across the country. Past clients include:
Library of Congress, American Folklife Center Oral history fieldwork with 20 New Orleans hospitality workers for the COVID-19 American History Project.
National Endowment for the Humanities, EDSITEment K-12 inquiry-based curriculum development across U.S. History, Civics, and World History.
Hungry Ghost Coffee Founder interviews and organizational research to build an integrated brand narrative that included a 13-location Brooklyn coffee company, two cocktail bars, and an ice cream shop.
What We Do
We specialize in work that combines rigorous research with impactful storytelling. Most of what we do falls into three areas.
People-centered Research
We know how to work with communities, gain trust, and surface what surveys can’t reach. Each project is designed specifically to match your needs, and may include oral history/in-depth interview fieldwork, archival research, ethnographic inquiry, and qualitative analysis executed with rigor and care.
Organizational Storytelling & Knowledge Translation
We translate research into writing that works. This includes corporate histories, founder narratives, brand stories, impact reports, and interpretive content. Everything we do is research-grounded and written for real readers.
Workshops & Educational Content
We have extensive experience creating K-12 humanities-driven curricula, higher education classroom materials, and adult professional development workshops and courses. From classrooms to boardrooms, we understand how learning works and how to engage diverse audiences.
Who We Work With
We work across sectors, because what matters to us are people, history, and values. Our clients tend to fall into two broad groups, though many projects blur the line between them.
Cultural & Mission-driven Organizations
You need research that honors the communities you serve, and stories that move funders, partners, and the public. We bring the rigor your work deserves.
- Museums, archives, and historical societies
- Libraries
- Nonprofits and foundations
- Oral history and public history programs
- Labor and advocacy organizations
- Universities and academic departments
- Local, state, and federal government agencies
- K-12 public, private, and charter schools
Businesses & Corporations
You have a history worth knowing, a culture worth understanding, or a story that’s never been told quite right. We find it and help you share it.
- Companies marking milestone anniversaries
- Family businesses with founder stories
- Regional brands building narrative depth
- Organizations navigating culture and identity
- Institutions documenting their own history
“All I heard was praise”
NEH Division of Education Programs Contracting Officer
Have a project in mind?
We take on a small number of projects at a time, which means we bring our full attention to each one.
Tell us a little about what you’re working on. We’d love to hear about it.