Dr. Andrea Louie
The Department of Anthropology welcomes Dr. Andrea Louie as the new department chair. Louie is committed to building on the department’s strong foundation.
Louie has been a professor of anthropology at Michigan State University since 1998. Her research focuses on how ideas of “Chineseness” as a racial and cultural identity have been reworked as Chinese people from different parts of the world interact. She is the author of “Chineseness Across Borders: Renegotiating Chinese Identities in China and the United States” and “How Chinese Are You? Adopted Chinese Youth and Their Families Negotiate Identity and Culture.”
In 2020, she received a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship to write a book about her maternal grandmother, who was named U.S. Mother of the Year in 1952. She is currently finalizing the book, titled “Chinese American Mothering: Toy Len Goon’s Legacy and the Myth of the Model Minority.”
Q & A with Dr. Andrea Louie
What inspired you to pursue a career in anthropology and what brought you to Michigan State?
I double majored in history and anthropology as an undergraduate student at Bowdoin College, a small liberal arts college in Maine. There, I worked with amazing professors. I still keep in touch with some of them. One encouraged me to apply to UC Berkeley for graduate school and I was admitted.
At first, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study, but after taking a year off to teach English in China—following a cultural heritage program trip—my interests became clearer. My dissertation explored the relationship between American-born Chinese and the People’s Republic of China as their ancestral homeland after China’s Open Policy and Economic Reform, shaping my understanding of transnational connections. This focus on Asian diasporas and identity led to my position at MSU.
What excites you most about taking on the role of chair for the department?
During my time at MSU, I have served on every department committee, from admissions to undergraduate
curriculum, and have taken on service roles at the college, university, and national levels. My 25+ years at MSU, along with discussions with former chair Dr. Todd Fenton and colleagues in the college, have given me insights into the university’s ongoing changes. While the uncertainty of these changes is challenging, I am confident that, together with my colleagues and staff, we can adapt and strategize as a department. I will do my best to advocate for the department in this shifting landscape.
How do you plan to support faculty, staff, and students in achieving their academic and professional goals?
As I learn my new role, I intend to make informed, fair, and equitable decisions while cultivating a department culture focused on transparency and communication. I will ask questions to clarify misunderstandings and listen to concerns to make fair decisions. My goal is to build a culture of mutual support and respect.
How do you envision fostering collaboration within the department and with other disciplines?
Anthropology is a multifaceted field, so it’s important to have discussions within and between subdisciplines about our work and how we can strengthen connections. While writing the department’s new strategic plan, we had productive conversations that I hope to continue.
Our department already has connections to other programs on campus, both within and outside the College of Social Science that I’m excited to help foster.
What do you enjoy doing outside of your academic work?
In my free time I enjoy spending time with friends and staying active through walking, running, or playing tennis. I recently traveled to Europe for the first time with my son and look forward to more international travel in the future.