News & Community
The Department of Anthropology, including both faculty members and graduate students, are often in the news. They also frequently lend their expertise to various community organizations. This webpage highlights some of these contributions.
December 31, 2019 - Graduate Students Completed in 2019
Congratulations to all our graduate students who successfully defended their thesis in 2019!
PhD: Bruce Lawrence, Bimadoshka Pucan, Jennifer Spinney, Kelly Linton, Diana Moreiras Reynaga, Danielle Alcock & Casey Kirkpatrick
MA: Tamara Britton, Sarah Knowles, Jeffrey Grieve, Jessica Lacerte, Kalley Armstrong, Diana Gavric, Johnathan Freeman & Gabryell Kurtzrock Belyea
November 15, 2019 - Spence Lecture with Dr. Shari Forbes
Dr. Shari Forbes (Université de Québec à Trois-Rivères) is our special guest for the annual Spence Lecture. The lecture takes place on Friday, November 15, 2:30pm in UC 3110 (Conron Hall). Read about Shari Forbes research on "body farms" here.
November 14, 2019 - Greg Beckett Explains Causes of Protests in Haiti
In a recent article featured in Western News, Professor Greg Beckett explains the background causes of the current protests in Haiti and why the international community must do more to help the Haitian people during this crisis.
June 21, 2019 - Kalley Armstrong to Coach Indigenous Youth Hockey Camp
Anthropology PhD student Kalley Armstrong was interviewed by CBC Radio about coaching the C.M.O. Youth Hockey Camp 2019 for Indigenous youth. Kalley is the grandaughter of hockey legend George Armstrong. She played hockey for Harvard University and currently coaches the London Devilettes. Hear Kalley's interview here and read the CBC news article here.
May 17, 2019 - Western Anthro Celebrates Vanier Scholar Federica Guccini
Congratulations to PhD student Federica Guccini, our fourth Vanier Scholar and first from Sociocultural/Linguistic Anthropology. Federica’s research focuses on Hakka Mauritian Heritage Practices in Mauritius and Canada and examines the meanings of the various languages spoken in the Hakka Chinese community. Read more about Federica's research in Western News.
April 16, 2019 - New Sociocultural Prof Joining Western Anthro!
We are excited to announce that Dr. Pamela Block will be joining the Anthropology Department in July 2019. Dr. Block received her PhD in Cultural Anthropology from Duke University in 1997, with a specialization in Disability Studies. She comes to us from a position as Professor and Director of the Concentration in Disability Studies for the PhD Program in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Stony Brook University. Her research has focused primarily on Brazil and the United States and has examined the intersections of gender, sexuality, race, poverty and disability. She is co-author of Occupying Disability: Critical Approaches to Community, Justice and Decolonizing Disability (New York: Springer, 2016), and is a collaborator and international partner on a large Brazilian grant for International Scholarly Collaboration and Exchange, "Cultural Practices, Education and Human Rights: Violence, Gender and Diversity" (Brazilian Department of Education). In Fall 2019 she will be teaching a new 3000-level course on Disability and Health in Local and Global Contexts -- stay tuned for more information!
April 7, 2019 - In Memoriam - Alex Totomarovario
We are sad to report that our friend, colleague and longtime research and teaching collaborator Alex Totomarovario has passed away. As a teacher at l’Université d’Antsiranana in Madagascar and a collaborator on several research and teaching projects, Alex has played a key role in the lives and work of Western Anthropology faculty members and students over the years. Alex’s important contributions to the education of Canadian and Malagasy students was recognized at Western in 2017 by a Vice-Provost’s Award for Collaborative Teaching. We will miss you Alex.
February 25, 2019 - Bimadoshka Pucan & Museum London Win Heritage Award
PhD Candidate Bimadoshka (Annya) Pucan and Museum London are the winners of a Lietenant Governor's Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation for the exhibition "Voices of Chief's Point". Congratulations! Read about the award.
January 31, 2019 - Greg Beckett - New Book
Greg Beckett - Forthcoming Book, There Is No More Haiti: Between Life and Death in Port-au-Prince. will be published by University of California Press, March 2019.
