“I am human: nothing human is alien to me.”

- Terence

“We may aspire to change the world rather than merely to observe it. But we need to understand how it works in order to change it in socially effective ways.”

- Sidney Mintz

I am a cultural anthropologist with interests in migration, development, marriage, demography, Islam and sub-Saharan Africa. Since the early 1990s I have spent more than five years in Africa, working in or traveling to a dozen sub-Saharan countries. Most of my fieldwork concerns populations living in or emanating from the western Sahel region, particularly the country of Mali. This part of the world offers fascinating perspectives not only on the diversity of human societies but on global processes of economic and cultural transformation. In my research I have sought to illuminate some of the ways Africans carve out spaces for themselves in the contemporary globalized world.

• Curriculum vitae (PDF document)
• Statement of research interests (PDF document)

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As a teacher, I try to integrate anthropological perspectives with a focus on current events and important issues. Specific subjects I teach about (or am prepared to teach about) include globalization, migration, development, African societies, Islam, demography, medical anthropology, and economic anthropology. To learn more about my teaching philosophy and experience, my research, or to view sample course syllabi, click on the links below.

• Statement of teaching philosophy (PDF document)
• Teaching portfolio (PDF document)

Sample course syllabi (PDF documents):

• Introduction to Anthropology
• Cultural Study & Globalization
• Globalization & Development in Africa

Contact me by e-mail at:

bruce.whitehouse@lehigh.edu

or by phone at (610) 758-4821.