I am versatile scholar with eclectic research interests that I pursue in integrative, creative, and collaborative ways. My work is shaped by my genuine belief in the transformative power of anthropology as a holistic, humanistic science that both celebrates and critically examines the breadth of human experience. As a sociocultural anthropologist, I work with all traditional subfields of anthropology (in archaeology, advising) and enjoy working across the sciences and humanities, with an emphasis on well-being.
I'm interested in aspects of well-being that have to do with the limits on and exercise of autonomy and self-determination, at individual and community levels. This idea shows up in most of my research, which primarily looks at the role of complex social environments on the decisions that people make for their social, economic, and physical well-being: these include migration and health decisions, identity negotiations, linguistic and educational choices. I’m also interested in the study of relationships and bridging that make collective action possible, with a focus on social networks, language in interaction, and cross-ethnic connections.
The innovative nature of my research has been recognized with funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Ford Foundation, the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, and the Environmental Protection Agency, for projects totaling nearly two million dollars. As a testament to the cross-disciplinarity of my work, I publish across varied fields, including health (Social Science & Medicine), linguistics (Journal of Sociolinguistics), social psychology (Group Processes and Intergroup Relations), and research methodology (Field Methods). I also directed two short documentaries sharing themes of artistic and musical expression in African-diasporic communities.