Nostos Salon

Nostos is an intimate afternoon salon series by Anthrōprospective at Smith Street Studio in Collingwood, inner Melbourne. Inspired by the ancient Greek concept of nostos [νόστος]—a longing to return home, this gathering invites us back: to community, to place, to self, and to one another. In a time of disconnection, Nostos is a return to slow, thoughtful conversation and community.

How do I get to Smith Street Studio?

The entrance to the studio is off Little Oxford St, Collingwood – via a small lane between 77 and 79 Little Oxford. Head up the end of the lane and you will find the studio on the far left directly next door to Studio Pancho.

Theme: The Anthropology of Energy, Everyday Life, and Imagined Futures

Our Nostos gathering on Sunday, September 27 will explore the anthropology of energy, everyday life, and imagined futures, examining how the choices, habits, and expectations of ordinary households, not industry forecasts or infrastructure plans, are quietly shaping what Australia's energy future will actually look like. In an era marked by the pressures of the energy transition, growing reliance on technology to manage everyday life, and mounting uncertainty about what 2050 will bring, this conversation invites us to reflect on how the future is imagined, and whose imagination gets to count as evidence.

Through the lens of anthropology, futures studies, and interdisciplinary energy research, we'll explore how households actually live with energy, technology, and change, and how scenarios built from real lives can challenge assumptions baked into top-down forecasting. How does watching the way people cook, heat, charge, and organise their days reveal something that expert modelling alone cannot? What does it mean to design an energy future around lived experience rather than around the grid? Whose everyday practices are treated as data worth taking seriously, and whose are overlooked? And how might grounded, people-centred research help us build energy futures that are more liveable, not just more efficient?

We are delighted to welcome Dr Fareed Kaviani, Research Fellow in the Emerging Technologies Research Lab at Monash University. His research foregrounds social science knowledge and interdisciplinary methodology to anticipate energy and technology futures and social change, currently through the RACE Scenarios for Future Living project, which places households at the centre of energy planning rather than starting from industry projection. His work draws on in-depth qualitative research with households to build scenarios for how Australians might live with energy through to 2050, alongside related work engaging young people directly in imagining AI and energy futures.

This afternoon salon invites participants into an open and engaging dialogue about how everyday life shapes the future we're all heading toward. Together, we'll explore how anthropology and the social sciences can sharpen our understanding of energy, technology, and imagined futures, and how more people-centred, grounded approaches might help us build futures that actually fit the way we live.

Whether you’re curious about anthropology, seeking connection with new friends or simply drawn to deep conversation, Nostos offers a place at the table. Come as you are - all are welcome.

The ticket price covers attendance at the salon discussion. Light refreshments will be available during the salon, and a small amount of wine may occasionally be offered as complimentary hospitality. Thank you to our event sponsors and .

Please indicate your dietary requirements at booking. See below for frequently asked questions.

Info: Settle in and mingle with new people over light refreshments.

Info: A short welcome and theme-setting intention from your host, with a few gentle provocations to guide conversation.

Info: Our special guest will share a discussion regarding their research field to deepen the theme and provide provocations to open discussion. Q&A.

Info: Space to journal, reflect, and note any thoughts or ideas sparked during the salon. A soft ending to a rich gathering as we wrap up officially at 3:30pm.

Event venue & nearby stays

Smith Street Studio, 79 Little Oxford Street, Collingwood, Australia

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