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Prior To European Contact Maize In The Central Andes Was Bred To Be Sweeter And Resist Harsh Highland Environment
Genetic analysis of ancient maize placed as an offering alongside the mummified remains of a young 15th-century Andean girl in what is now Bolivia is shedding new light on how regional interactions in the central Andes contributed to the development of maize as a staple crop prior to European contact. The study’s authors include Dr. […]
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New book unpacks the immigrant story behind America’s Mother of the Year
In 1952, Toy Len Goon, a Chinese immigrant widow raising eight children, was selected as U.S. Mother of the Year by the American Mothers Committee of the Golden Rule Foundation. Her story, celebrated during the Cold War as proof of American democracy, is featured in a new book by Dr. Andrea Louie, Goon’s granddaughter, and professor and chair of Michigan State University’s Department of Anthropology. Louie’s book, Chinese American Mothering: Toy […]
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New Research Associate Joins MSU’s MOSAIC Project
What began as a childhood interest in studying the past and human remains has led Dr. Andrea Zurek-Ost to a career in forensic anthropology. She joins the Department of Anthropology as a research associate working on MOSIAC, or Methods of Sex, Stature, Affinity and Age for Identification through Computational Standardization, a project funded by a $2.1 […]
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A look inside ANP 364: Fake Archaeology
This semester, Dr. Madeline Mackie challenged students to examine the pseudoarchaeological claims made about the past in ANP 364: Fake Archaeology. Students explored topics from ancient aliens and Atlantis to mysterious megalithics and pyramids. While dissecting archaeological myths, frauds, and hoaxes, Mackie has guided students in learning how to identify false claims and understand why […]
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MSU Museum Welcomes Dr. Stacey Camp as Curator of Archaeology
The Michigan State University (MSU) Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Stacey Camp as Curator of Archaeology. An accomplished historical archaeologist and professor in MSU’s Department of Anthropology, Dr. Camp brings a wealth of experience in research, teaching, and public engagement focused on immigration, identity, and labor in the United States. “The […]
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Gungun Islam Awarded Dr. Delia Koo Scholarship for Research on Reproductive Health in India
Congratulations to Gungun Islam, anthropology graduate student, on receiving the Dr. Delia Koo Global Student Scholarship. This award supports her ethnographic fieldwork in West Bengal, India, where she is examining the complex inequities found within infertility. “In India, infertility is never just a biomedical issue,” Islam said. “It is deeply political—shaped by intersecting structures of sociocultural, economic, […]
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What ancient Indigenous cuisine can teach us about culture and community
A new collection of original essays, “Ancient Indigenous Cuisines: Archaeological Explorations of the Midcontinent,” is the first to examine trends in ancient Indigenous foodways across the region. This volume, a collaborative effort by Dr. Jodie O’Gorman, former chair and associate professor in Michigan State University’s Department of Anthropology, and Ph.D. alumni Dr. Susan Kooiman and Dr. Autumn Painter, […]
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Language and Peacebuilding: Indonesian Youth Counter Conflict Through Creativity
A new arts-based research project reveals how young people in Ambon, Indonesia are transforming language into a tool for unity and healing. Associate Professor of Anthropology, Dr. Elizabeth Drexler, co-authored a new study titled Language and Conflict De-escalation: Preserving peace in Ambon through literature and art. In collaboration with Dr. Wening Udasmoro, Professor of Literature and […]
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Access Champion: Nicolas Gisholt
Nicolas Gisholt is a Senior Specialist Academic Advisor for the College of Social Science at the Center for Integrative Studies and the Department of Anthropology, former Specialist representative for the Chicanx Latinx Association, and advises the Chicano Latino Studies minor. Gisholt is passionate about advocacy for the Latino community, equitable distribution of resources for students; […]
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Exploring Medical Anthropology with Dr. Heather Howard
Recently, we had the opportunity to visit a medical anthropology class taught by Dr. Heather Howard. During this visit, students explored how Indigenous peoples’ health is defined, understood, and researched from multiple perspectives. We spoke with Dr. Howard about her favorite part of teaching the course, how it prepares students for their future careers, and […]