Brown University anthropologist Ieva Jusionyte awarded MacArthur ‘genius grant’ — @ievajusionyte.bsky.social, a cultural and legal anthropologist who leads the Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies at @watsonschoolbrown.bsky.social won an $800,000 grant to advance her work.

Applications open for 26-27 postdocs. Welcoming apps from any field that relates to the theme of the Seminar, "The Meanings of Merit: Labor, Categories of Difference, and the Creation of Knowledge." See: pembroke.brown.edu/funding-oppo.... Due 11/24. @pajaf.bsky.social @brownanthro.bsky.social

Student Spotlight: America Marin ‘26 — In this piece, the department sits down with America to learn more about her decision to concentrate in Linguistic Anthropology and Computer Science.

Saturday, 10/18 at 10AM: Join the Brown community on Family Weekend for a book talk with Myles Lennon featuring his latest publication, "Subjects of the Sun: Solar Energy in the Shadows of Racial Capitalism." Sponsored by @brown-ibes.bsky.social. A livestream of this event will be available.

This Week — Thursday, 10/2 at 12PM: Rachel Thimmig, a doctoral student in Anthropology, will present her research in an informal lecture entitled, “Damming the Reservation: Hidden Histories of Salvage Archaeology and Domestic Life on the Great Plains.” Sponsored by @brownarchaeology.bsky.social.

Applications open for 26-27 postdocs. Welcoming apps from any field that relates to the theme of the Seminar, "The Meanings of Merit: Labor, Categories of Difference, and the Creation of Knowledge." See: pembroke.brown.edu/funding-oppo.... Due 11/24. @pajaf.bsky.social @brownanthro.bsky.social

Thursday, 10/2 at 12PM: Rachel Thimmig, a doctoral student in Anthropology, will present her research in an informal lecture entitled, “Damming the Reservation: Hidden Histories of Salvage Archaeology and Domestic Life on the Great Plains.” Sponsored by @brownarchaeology.bsky.social.

Join IBES for a Family Weekend book talk! Asst Prof Myles Lennon will discuss his new book, Subjects of the Sun, in a conversation moderated by Assoc Prof @brdemuth.bsky.social. Oct 18, 10-11am, 85 Waterman St & online events.brown.edu/ibes/event/3... @brownanthro.bsky.social @brownhist.bsky.social

On September 12, the Department of Anthropology hosted its annual Fall Symposium. Anthropologists from across Brown shared their research — with some even participating in a brand new pocket poster session from 12-1pm. Check it out and be sure to join us next year!

This Thursday, 9/18 at 5:30PM: Catch the launch of Myles Lennon's new book, Subjects of the Sun: Solar Energy in the Shadows of Racial Capitalism (Duke University Press, 2025) at Riffraff Bookstore and Bar in Providence, RI. Additional details below ⬇️

Happening now! Our fourth annual Fall Symposium is underway at 172 Meeting Street (Pembroke Hall), Room 305. Stop by to hear the latest research from students and scholars in the Department of Anthropology at Brown. events.brown.edu/anthropology/event/314298-anthropology-fall-2025-symposium

Tomorrow, 9/12 at 12PM: Anthropology Fall 2025 Symposium — Join us for our annual Symposium feat anthropologists from across Brown, graduate students, postdocs, and faculty sharing research. Learn more & view the schedule: events.brown.edu/anthropology/event/314298-anthropology-fall-2025-symposium

Applications open for 26-27 postdocs. Welcoming apps from any field that relates to the theme of the Seminar, "The Meanings of Merit: Labor, Categories of Difference, and the Creation of Knowledge." See: pembroke.brown.edu/funding-oppo.... Due 11/24. @pajaf.bsky.social @brownanthro.bsky.social

Friday, 9/12 at 12PM: Anthropology Fall 2025 Symposium — Join us for our annual Symposium feat anthropologists from across Brown, graduate students, postdocs, and faculty sharing research. Learn more & view the schedule: events.brown.edu/anthropology/event/314298-anthropology-fall-2025-symposium

Rounding out our introductions to new community members in the Department of Anthropology with a warm welcome to Adela Zhang! At Brown, she will serve as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Anthropology and will teach the Fall course "Toxic: Health, Environment, and Life After Harm." bit.ly/3JAz8pT

Next up, we’re introducing our community to Associate Teaching Professor of Anthropology, Lisa Di Carlo! Lisa is a cultural anthropologist with research interests in contemporary Turkish society and Turkish migration, the anthropology of aging, and applied anthropology. Learn more: bit.ly/41pxXj4

As the new school year approaches, it’s time to introduce a few new departmental faces! Kicking us off, meet Assistant Professor of Anthropology Kimberly Fernandes. 👋 anthropology.brown.edu/people/kimberly-fernandes-0

The Department of Anthropology is pleased to introduce the 2025-26 first-year graduate cohort! This year’s cohort brings a vibrant array of research interests to College Hill — from reproductive health and gender studies to environmental pedagogy and more.

Summer Fieldwork Update: Professor Parker VanValkenburgh — In July and August, VanValkenburgh conducted archaeological fieldwork in Peru and Brazil and taught workshops on LiDAR data processing in both countries. bit.ly/45i5rSS @brownarchaeology.bsky.social

Applications open for 26-27 postdocs. Welcoming apps from any field that relates to the theme of the Seminar, "The Meanings of Merit: Labor, Categories of Difference, and the Creation of Knowledge." See: pembroke.brown.edu/funding-oppo.... Due 11/24. @pajaf.bsky.social @brownanthro.bsky.social

300-year-old pirate-plundered shipwreck that once held 'eyewatering treasure' discovered off Madagascar — A team of archaeologists, including Mark Agostini Ph.D. '25, say they've found the wreck of a sailing ship captured in 1721 near Madagascar, during one of history's most infamous pirate raids.

Congratulations to Ph.D. Students Alyssa Bolster and Matthew Ballance, and recent graduate Deborah Cherman ‘25, on receiving Fulbright scholarships! Brown's newest cohort of Fulbright recipients submitted project proposals to teach and conduct research in 24 countries.

Care and Agency: The Andean Community through the Eyes of Children — In this recent piece from the Population Studies and Training Center (PSTC) at Brown, Cultural Anthropologist and Department Chair, Jessaca Leinaweaver examines the various ways that children receive, are denied, and provide care.

Research Apprenticeship Spotlight: Rebecca Bushee '27 — In this spotlight interview, the department caught up with Rebecca Bushee, an Anthropological Archaeology concentrator, to learn more about what she looks forward to accomplishing in Anthropology's Research Apprenticeship Program.

Scientists find a tomb of a Maya king and his ancient treasures. But who was he? — In this piece from @nationalgeographic.bsky.social, Stephen Houston provides commentary on the discovery of a royal tomb in Caracol that belonged to the city’s first known ruler, Te K’ab Chaak.

Multiple inequalities in every meal: theorizing the intersectional erasure of food producers both past & present — A new Food, Culture & Society journal article, co-authored by Jordi Rivera Prince, examines how food production can bolster & challenge social hierarchies based on race, gender, etc.

Over the course of the Spring 2025 semester, Brown University faculty members were honored with a wide variety of awards, appointments and accolades for outstanding research, teaching, service and leadership. Ieva Jusionyte and Steve McGarvey were among those honored.

300-year-old pirate-plundered shipwreck that once held 'eyewatering treasure' discovered off Madagascar — A team of archaeologists, including Mark Agostini Ph.D. '25, say they've found the wreck of a sailing ship captured in 1721 near Madagascar, during one of history's most infamous pirate raids.

‘Subjects of the Sun’: Shining a light on obstacles, opportunities of equitable renewable energy — Brown University environmental anthropologist Myles Lennon examines the complexity of sustainable energy infrastructure and explores solar solutions for working-class communities.

Applications open for 26-27 postdocs. Welcoming apps from any field that relates to the theme of the Seminar, "The Meanings of Merit: Labor, Categories of Difference, and the Creation of Knowledge." See: pembroke.brown.edu/funding-oppo.... Due 11/24/25. @pajaf.bsky.social @brownanthro.bsky.social

Scientists find a tomb of a Maya king and his ancient treasures. But who was he? — In this piece from @nationalgeographic.bsky.social, Stephen Houston provides commentary on the discovery of a royal tomb in Caracol that belonged to the city’s first known ruler, Te K’ab Chaak.

Congratulations to Ph.D. Students Alyssa Bolster and Matthew Ballance, and recent graduate Deborah Cherman ‘25, on receiving Fulbright scholarships! Brown's newest cohort of Fulbright recipients submitted project proposals to teach and conduct research in 24 countries.

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the Louise Lamphere sex discrimination lawsuit. Lamphere's fight resulted in a large increase in women faculty. In 2008, Lamphere established a professorship in Gender Studies. Read more here: anthropology.brown.edu/louise-lamph.... @brownanthro.bsky.social

Myles Lennon: 'Subjects of the Sun: Solar Energy in the Shadows of Racial Capitalism' — In this #podcast episode from @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social, Assistant Professor of Environment and Society and Anthropology Myles Lennon discusses his book, "Subjects of the Sun."

300-year-old pirate-plundered shipwreck that once held 'eyewatering treasure' discovered off Madagascar — A team of archaeologists, including Mark Agostini Ph.D. '25, say they've found the wreck of a sailing ship captured in 1721 near Madagascar, during one of history's most infamous pirate raids.

Course Spotlight: Ethnographic Research Methods — In this course spotlight, Assistant Professor of Anthropology Joshua Babcock offers a brief synopsis of ANTH 1940: Ethnographic Research Methods.

Research Apprenticeship Spotlight: Rebecca Bushee '27 — In this spotlight interview, the department caught up with Rebecca Bushee, an Anthropological Archaeology concentrator, to learn more about what she looks forward to accomplishing in Anthropology's Research Apprenticeship Program.

‘Subjects of the Sun’: Shining a light on obstacles, opportunities of equitable renewable energy — Brown University environmental anthropologist Myles Lennon examines the complexity of sustainable energy infrastructure and explores solar solutions for working-class communities.

Q&A with David Kertzer: What it means to have an American pope — After the white smoke cleared, Brown papal historian David Kertzer reflected on the significance of an American pope, how the Catholic Church could change and how Italians are responding to Pope Leo XIV.

New initiative addresses community needs through partnerships with Brown scholars, students — #NewsfromBrown reports on the partnership between North Burial Ground in Providence and bioarchaeologist Jordi Rivera Prince. Together, they are documenting and digitizing thousands of historic tombstones.

Research Apprenticeship Spotlight: Mustapha Kharbouch '27 — "Through this research apprenticeship, I will continue to support Dr. Paja Faudree's research project ‘Botanical Reparations: Psychoactive Plants and Indigenous People.’" Read the full spotlight:

Homeless in RI: More agencies, more staff, more money – more homeless. Overnight shelter chaos. — Sara Santacruz '25, a student in Dr. Irene Glasser's course "Anthropology of Homelessness," penned this piece for Street Sights.

What's in a name? In the case of Leo XIV, lessons in bridging historical shifts — In this piece from @nytimes.com, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and Italian Studies David Kertzer provides context on papal names and the history of Pope Leo XIII.

How Isabella Schultz is Transforming Global Maternal Healthcare Through Interdisciplinary Research — Brown Graduate School details how Ph.D. student Bella Schultz is pushing the boundaries of interdisciplinary research through the Open Graduate Education program.

What an ancient altar found in Tikal, Guatemala, proves — Andrew Scherer was interviewed by @npr.org about an altar buried near the center of an ancient Maya city that he and a global team of researchers, including Stephen Houston, recently discovered.

Course Spotlight: Ethnographic Research Methods — In this course spotlight, Assistant Professor of Anthropology Joshua Babcock offers a brief synopsis of ANTH 1940: Ethnographic Research Methods.

HMN 2025: How will we rework international well being? Grant-dependent system might stall actual change — This opinion piece from Health Medicine Network cites a global health study co-authored by graduate student Daniel Krugman.

The world is your oyster, #Brown2025 🎓🐻 We are so proud of you—congratulations!

Ph.D. Student Alyssa Bolster has received a Fulbright Open Study/Research Award & will be spending the fall in northeastern Peru where she will co-direct excavations at two Middle Horizon (600-1100 CE) & Late Intermediate Period (1100-1470 CE) mortuary sites. Congratulations, Alyssa! bit.ly/3Zq99Xa

Tomorrow, 5/21 at 2PM: Data Science Seed Grants Celebration. Join the Brown community to learn more about the nine seed grants awarded to data science researchers—including Jordi Rivera Prince on her work supporting the North Burial Ground Documentation Project.