Department of Anthropology

  • Anthropologists featured in College of Social Science’s Diversity Matters newsletter for their work on human rights

    The MSU College of Social Science’s Diversity Matters monthly newsletters highlight our College’s engagement with our core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Dr. Nwando Achebe describes that each month’s focus is “guided by a Diversity Awareness Calendar” and “profiles the celebration of specific groups, cultures, and causes that reflect our diversity.” Each month, the College highlights a faculty or staff member Diversity Champion, a student Diversity Torch, and an alumni Diversity Spotlight. A list of resources also accompanies the monthly themes.

    This month, Diversity Matters recognizes “Universal Human Rights Month,” which commemorates the inalienable rights of human beings. For their work on human rights, Department of Anthropology faculty member Dr. Monir Moniruzzaman is the featured Diversity Champion, Anthropology PhD student Mr. Juan Carlos Rico Noguera is the featured Diversity Torch, and Anthropology alumna Ms. Karen Phillippi is featured in the Diversity Spotlight.

    MSU College of Social Science logo and three phots of Diversity Champion Dr. Monir Moniruzzaman, Diversity Torch Mr. Juan Carlos Rico Noguera, and Diversity Spotlight Ms. Karen Phillippi

    Diversity Champion: Dr. Monir Moniruzzaman               

    “Dr. Monir Moniruzzaman is an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the Michigan State University College of Social Science. His research examines human organ trafficking within the black market, and how to combat this human rights violation. Community-Academic Innovation and Dissemination (Community-AID) lab, which studies ways to support the success and well-being of families and youth of all backgrounds…” Click here to read more

    Diversity Torch: Mr. Juan Carlos Rico Noguera

    “Juan Carlos Rico Noguera is a PhD student within the Department of Anthropology at the Michigan State University College of Social Science. Born in Colombia, Juan’s research focuses on the Colombia Truth Commission (CTC), which gathers information and data to shine a light on human rights violations committed during the nation’s violent past…” Click here to read more

    Diversity Spotlight: Ms. Karen Phillippi

    “Karen Phillippi graduated from the Michigan State University College of Social Science in 1992 with a degree in Anthropology and a minor in Women’s Studies. Since then, she has had a celebrated career in immigration law and is now the Director of New American Integration with the Office of Global Michigan. There, Karen supports integration at the state level by striving to remove or minimize barriers immigrants and refugees may face when trying to successfully transition to American life…” Click here to read more

    Visit the College of Social Science Diversity Matters webpage at socialscience.msu.edu/diversity/

  • PhD candidate Kelly Kamnikar and Dr. Joseph Hefner Co-PIs on AAFS HHRC grant to analyze skeletal remains from the Soviet-Era Terror in Georgia

    Dr. Meri Gonashvili of the Tbilisi State Medical University, Georgia, was awarded $20,000 by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Humanitarian and Human Rights Resource Center (HHRC) to support the project Anthropological Analysis of Victims of the Soviet-Era Terror in Georgia. Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs) on the project include Michigan State University Department of Anthropology doctoral candidate, Kelly Kamnikar, Assistant Professor, Dr. Joseph Hefner, and Texas State University Professor, Dr. Nicholas Herrmann. The Co-PIs will travel to Tbilisi, Georgia to work under the direction of Dr. Gonashvili to excavate and analyze skeletal remains from the Soviet-Era Terror (1937–1938).

    The project has four major aims: 1) to analyze and document information from skeletal remains recovered by local clergy from four mass graves in Batumi; 2) excavate a fifth mass grave; 3) re-sample the remains for DNA analysis; and 4) assist with the proper burial of the remains. An additional goal is to collect contextual and physical data from the skeletal remains and associated artifacts to clarify the historical record. These data will serve as a reference for future identification efforts. The remains represent the only physical evidence to date for mass executions of Christian and Muslim Georgians during the Soviet Repressions and will serve to support historical documentation from the period. This collaborative project will allow faculty and doctoral students from MSU and Texas State University to support Georgian forensic practitioners and assist the Christian and Muslim communities in Batumi and surrounding areas.

  • Dr. Kurt Rademaker co-authors article on precise manual activities in an Early Holocene individual of the Peruvian Andes

    Department of Anthropology Assistant Professor Kurt Rademaker recently co-authored an article in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology with members of his research team, including first author Dr. Fotios Alexandros Karakostis and Dr. Katerina Harvati of the University of Tübingen. The article is titled “Biocultural evidence of precise manual activities in an Early Holocene individual of the high-altitude Peruvian Andes.” The article discusses evidence of habitual precision grasping tasks in an early high-altitude Andean individual excavated from the Cuncaicha rockshelter, which is one of the highest-altitude Pleistocene archaeological sites worldwide.

    Read the full article at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24160

    Abstract

    “Objectives: Cuncaicha, a rockshelter site in the southern Peruvian Andes, has yielded archaeological evidence for human occupation at high elevation (4,480 masl) during the Terminal Pleistocene (12,500–11,200 cal BP), Early Holocene (9,500–9,000 cal BP), and later periods. One of the excavated human burials (Feature 15-06), corresponding to a middle-aged female dated to ~8,500 cal BP, exhibits skeletal osteoarthritic lesions previously proposed to reflect habitual loading and specialized crafting labor. Three small tools found in association with this burial are hypothesized to be associated with precise manual dexterity.

    Materials and methods: Here, we tested this functional hypothesis through the application of a novel multivariate methodology for the three-dimensional analysis of muscle attachment surfaces (entheses). This original approach has been recently validated on both lifelong-documented anthropological samples as well as experimental studies in nonhuman laboratory samples. Additionally, we analyzed the three-dimensional entheseal shape and resulting moment arms for muscle opponens pollicis.

    Results: Results show that Cuncaicha individual 15-06 shows a distinctive entheseal pattern associated with habitual precision grasping via thumb-index finger coordination, which is shared exclusively with documented long-term precision workers from recent historical collections. The separate geometric morphometric analysis revealed that the individual’s opponens pollicis enthesis presents a highly projecting morphology, which was found to strongly correlate with long joint moment arms (a fundamental component of force-producing capacity), closely resembling the form of Paleolithic hunter-gatherers from diverse geo-chronological contexts of Eurasia and North Africa.

    Discussion: Overall, our findings provide the first biocultural evidence to confirm that the lifestyle of some of the earliest Andean inhabitants relied on habitual and forceful precision grasping tasks.”

  • MSU Campus Archaeology Program holds Apparitions & Archaeology Virtual Campus Tour

    Apparitions & Archaeology Virtual Campus Tour flyer

    The Michigan State University Apparitions & Archaeology Haunted Campus Tour has gone online this year! For the entire month of October, participants can visit the online tour and learn about the sites on campus that are known for their paranormal activity and archaeological significance. The tour is a collaborative effort between the Campus Archaeology Program, housed in the Department of Anthropology, the MSU Paranormal Society, the Michigan State University Alumni Office, and the College of Social Science.

    In addition to the online tour, Campus Archaeology Director Dr. Stacey Camp and Campus Archaeologist Jeff Burnett will host a Facebook Live event and answer participants’ questions about the tour on October 28 at 7:00pm. The live Q&A event can be accessed by visiting the Alumni Office’s Facebook page. Questions can be sent in via this form created by the MSU Alumni Office, or sent to the Alumni Office and/or Campus Archaeology email accounts and social media pages. These questions will be answered both at the Facebook Live event and on the Campus Archaeology blog.

    The online tour is free and accessible to all who want to explore MSU’s haunted history. Participants can take the tour from home, or visit campus and take the virtual tour guide with them on their mobile device. If visiting campus, please remember that masks must be worn at all times, both indoors and outdoors.

    The Apparitions & Archaeology Haunted Campus Tour was recently featured on WILX News 10 and in MSU Today.

    Watch the spooky trailer for the tour and start it today at http://campusarch.msu.edu/hauntedtour/

  • Dr. Stacey Camp publishes in International Journal of Historical Archaeology on the future of Japanese diaspora archaeology

    Department of Anthropology Associate Professor Stacey Camp recently published an article in the International Journal of Historical Archaeology titled, “The Future of Japanese Diaspora Archaeology in the United States.” In the article, Dr. Camp discusses the need for collaborative work and a shared research agenda within the archaeological community studying the Japanese diaspora.

    Read the full article at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10761-020-00564-6

    Abstract: “The emergence of the archaeology of the Japanese diaspora in the United States as a discrete area of investigation over the past 15 years presents a timely intervention into how xenophobia has contoured the lives of migrants. It is not merely an area of study detached from contemporary politics, but rather a subfield that is forcing archaeologists to engage with the public in novel ways. This work requires scholarly collaboration that puts the interest of descendant communities at the forefront of academic investigation. This work also involves managing archaeological data in a systematic fashion and making data accessible online.”

  • Special Interest Group co-chaired by Dr. Deon Claiborne receives AAA Presidents’ Award

    Photos of Dr. Hedges and Dr. Claiborne
    Dr. Hedges (left) and Dr. Claiborne (right)

    The Society for Medical Anthropological’s Responses to Health Emergencies Special Interest Group was one of this year’s recipients of the American Anthropological Association Presidents’ Award for the group’s extraordinary service. Dr. Deon Claiborne, Undergraduate Academic Advisor for the Department of Anthropology, is the co-chair of this group with Dr. Kristin Hedges of Grand Valley State University. The Anthropological Responses to Health Emergencies Special Interest Group was “recognized for rapidly mobilizing a wide range of valuable information resources in response to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic, including a series of highly informative webinars, online background information resources, and an expanded roster of content area specialists ready to share their insights with response partner organizations and affected communities.”

    The Anthropological Responses to Health Emergencies (ARHE) is a Special Interest Group of the Society for Medical Anthropology (SMA). The purpose of the group is to network among members to be able to rapidly respond to developing public health issues and emergencies. The overall mission of ARHE is to engage and collaborate with colleagues working in the field of public health and infectious disease in emergency and humanitarian contexts. To learn more about the ARHE and access the group’s resources, visit their website: http://arhe.medanthro.net/

  • Associate Professor Heather Howard publishes in American Anthropologist on history, truth, and reconciliation in settler health care

    Department of Anthropology Associate Professor Heather Howard recently published an article in American Anthropologist Vital Topics Forum titled “History, Truth, and Reconciliation in Settler Health Care.” The article critiques approaches used within biomedicine to Indigenous people’s health and advocates Indigenous-led health-care initiatives.

    Read the full article at: https://doi.org/10.1111/aman.13447

  • Assistant Professor Kurt Rademaker’s research featured in article by The Scientist on the peopling of South America

    Department of Anthropology Assistant Professor Kurt Rademaker was recently featured in an article by The Scientist titled “The Peopling of South America.” The article describes new findings regarding South America’s earliest human inhabitants and highlights Dr. Rademaker’s research on the archaeological site of Cuncaicha, which is the oldest known site in the high Andes.

    Read the full article at: https://www.the-scientist.com/features/the-peopling-of-south-america-67860

  • Dr. Linda Hunt Retires from the Department

    Photo of Dr. Linda Hunt

    Dr. Linda Hunt retired from the Department this spring after a remarkable career specializing in medical anthropology. Dr. Hunt attributes her early interest in anthropology to growing up in an eclectic household, with a Mexican catholic mother and New York Jewish father in an Irish-catholic neighborhood. With the diverse perspectives and realities surrounding her, she was always interested in understanding the conflicts and resolutions this fomented. After studying anthropology at Wayne State University, Dr. Hunt earned her PhD from Harvard University in 1992. Dr. Hunt joined the MSU Department of Anthropology in 1999 and attained Full Professor status in 2008.

    Dr. Hunt’s research interests are rooted in the study of clinical medicine and healthcare delivery for racial/ethnic minorities. With numerous research projects in the U.S. and Mexico, Dr. Hunt’s work has covered topics including the culture of biomedicine, racial-ethnic health disparities, concepts of race and ethnicity in the health sciences, and corporatization of medicine. She became interested in these research foci while working in various medical research settings, where she saw the ways cultural constructions and market forces manifest themselves in what was assumed to be a scientifically neutral area. Much of Dr. Hunt’s research has examined the ways that health researchers and clinicians view minority populations, particularly how assumptions about the ways cultural and biological difference are manifest in clinical practice, professional training, research agendas, and health policy.

    One area of accomplishment in Dr. Hunt’s outstanding career has been her great success in securing grants for her various research projects. Dr. Hunt was consistently funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other public agencies over her career. Many of her large grants allowed her to employ numerous graduate assistants, and to collaborate with various faculty members. Dr. Hunt’s dedication to disseminate her research is evident in her prolific publication and presentation record. Over her career, Dr. Hunt has published nearly 70 articles, chapters, and reports, presented over 70 papers at professional conferences, and discussed her work in over 50 invited lectures worldwide.

    Throughout her publishing activity, Dr. Hunt has always been committed to sharing her research in diverse venues in order to address medical and public health audiences. In doing so, thousands of practitioners outside the field of anthropology have accessed Dr. Hunt’s extensively cited research on genetic risk, cancer patient experience, chronic illness management, and health care reform. With her varied publications and collaborations, Dr. Hunt is regarded as a highly influential proponent for the value of anthropological perspectives in biomedical research and clinical practice. This extension of anthropology into the health sciences has helped advance the field of medical anthropology.

    In reflecting on what she has enjoyed most during her career, Dr. Hunt recounts working with graduate students and teaching graduate courses, especially Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology. Dr. Hunt’s role as an extraordinary mentor is appreciated by students and colleagues, as she has constantly provided opportunities for collaboration and helped lay foundation for her students’ successful careers. Dr. Hunt is grateful to have had the opportunity to conduct a series of research projects that she felt would address socially important issues in a critical and productive fashion.

    As an outdoor enthusiast, Dr. Hunt is looking forward to plenty of canoeing, kayaking, hiking, biking, skiing, and camping in her retirement. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Hunt and thanking her for her profound and far-reaching contributions as professor, mentor, scholar, and advocate.

  • Fieldwork Photography Contest Winners 2020

    Congratulations to the winners of our 2020 Anthropology Fieldwork Photography Contest. Thank you to everyone who entered photos and to our judges from across the department. The photos were truly amazing and are a stunning reflection of the fieldwork in this department.

    Photo of Syrian Refugee Settlement in Lebanon by Marwa Bakabas
    1st Place
    “Seeking Beyond Spatial Refuge in an Informal Syrian Refugee Settlement in Lebanon, a Stone-Throw Away From Home” (Beqaa, Lebanon, 2019)
    Marwa Bakabas, Graduate Student

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    Photo of Colorful Alfombra during Holy Week in Antigua by Anna Martinez-Hume
    2nd Place
    “Colorful Alfombra during Holy Week” (Antigua, Sacatepéquez, Guatemala, 2019)
    Anna Martínez-Hume, Graduate Student

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    Photo of stick bridge over Majes River in Peru by Emily Milton
    3rd Place
    “Extreme Water Sampling, Bridge of Sticks Edition” (Majes River, Peru, 2019)
    Emily Milton, Graduate Student

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