Teaching

Teaching and Diversity

A Philosophy of Empathy

With the global pandemic and political climate of nativism, the historic moment increasingly calls for educational experiences to foster a sense of safety, belonging, and community.

I strive for this both inside and outside of the classroom by making my practice intersectional, interdisciplinary, and anti-racist, but also recognize that I hold a privileged position with much to learn and undo in my own thinking. I am a white, cis-gendered woman with a Ph.D., and know that three degrees in anthropology do not excuse me from doing this necessary work.

I approach Empathy as an essential problem-solving “toolkit,” and a valuable skill for praxis in a variety of fields. It is important for me to speak with students through creative material they can identity with, and to articulate practical applications of our coursework that will be meaningful for their own lives and career objectives.

I love teaching ethnographic methods and am passionate about incorporating ethnographic film, social media, and serving-learning into my practice with students.

Anthropological Perspectives in Sustainable Development

Ithaca College, NY. - 10/2020-12/2020

This is an upper-level, seminar style course taught remotely during Covid-19. Through critical analysis, discussion, and a semester research paper, students learn about methods in applied anthropology, as well as topics in community development, wellbeing, unequal access to power, and implementation of sustainability projects.

Game of Thrones: Anthropological Perspectives

Binghamton University, NY. 2015-2021

This is a remotely-taught, writing-intensive course I designed to introduce students to core topics in anthropology & sociology, using HBO's hit series Game of Thrones.

We cover gender, sexuality, & disability; ethnicity & racism; war & violence; identity, belonging, & human values.

In Sickness and in Health: Medical Anthropology & the State

This seminar engages students with a state approach to the study of Medical Anthropology. It focuses on the role of the State in governing whose bodies and minds are deserving of health, wellness, and access to medicine and healthcare, and whose bodies and minds are not.

The subjective experience of illness and debility is presented alongside large-scale and long-term catastrophes that could otherwise have been prevented, what Paul Farmer calls the “stupid deaths” of structural violence, such as curable diseases, poverty, hunger, war, or the residual consequences of nuclear disaster.

People, Poverty, & Populism

Created in 2018 for the Anthropology Department at Binghamton University, NY

In this intro to Economic Anthropology course, students investigate the historically dominant economic systems and orientations, processes of regional development and integration, policy problems of [capitalist] transitions, and the role of culture in economic analysis.

By looking at the breadth of poverty via the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality in relatively recent ‘hot topics’ such as the financial crisis, migration, Standing Rock, and Brexit, we will seek causal explanations for the spread of right-wing populism, nationalism, and other forms of socioeconomic exclusion.

Additional Courses Taught

Lecturer

Ithaca College 2019-2020: ANTH 10400:
- Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
CUNY CityTech 2017-2020: ANTH 1101:
- Introduction to Anthropology
Brooklyn College Fall 2017: POLS 1230:
- American Government: People, Politics, & Power

Teacher Assistant at Binghamton University

ANTH 111: Introduction to Anthropology ('19)
ANTH 125: Buried Cities & Lost Tribes ('16)
ANTH 116: Intro to Sociocultural Anthropology ('14)
ANTH 114: Language, Culture, Communication ('13)