Department of Anthropology

Professor David A.B. Murray publishes anthology on development of queer anthropology

Department of Anthropology Professor David A.B. Murray has published an anthology on the history of queer anthropology, a subfield of sociocultural anthropology with both activist and academic origins. Queer Anthropology offers a short introduction to an evolving subfield of sociocultural anthropology, exploring its historical development, critiques over the past two decades and responses to emerging challenges. […]

Anthropology professor Emma Feltes documents Indigenous leadership related to landslide in B.C.

Emma Feltes, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology, has been involved in an important project documenting the ways in which Indigenous communities are providing emergency responses to a landslide in the Tŝilhqot’in territory in central B.C. Feltes worked in collaboration with researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) to document emergency responses to […]

Anthropology Annual Lecture examines Palestinians’ experiences with waste in the Israeli-occupied West Bank

The Department of Anthropology is pleased to announce the 2025 Anthropology Annual Lecture with distinguished lecturer and anthropologist, Sophia Stamatopoulou-Robbins. Join us on Thursday, March 20, as Stamatopoulou-Robbins traces Palestinians’ experiences of waste in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.  This lecture will offer an analysis unusual in the study of Palestine, beginning with the environmental, infrastructural and […]

The Department of Anthropology Welcomes Professor Kennedy Opande

The Department of Anthropology would like to give a warm welcome to Kennedy Opande, PhD. He is a LA&PS postdoctoral fellow at York University, and holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, which he earned in 2024. For his PhD, he conducted a study on anthropology of life under the title […]

Associate Professor Zulfikar Hirji selected as a York Massey Fellow

Associate Professor Zulfikar Hirji has been selected as a York Massey Fellow along with Professor Emilia Nielsen in the Department of Social Science.Massey College is an independent college situated in the University of Toronto campus. During the Fellowship, York-Massey Fellows engage in the activities of the College and contribute to public service through their academic […]

Study published on challenges faced by midwives during COVID-19 pandemic

Margaret MacDonald, associate professor and graduate program director in the Department of Anthropology, has published a study titled “Equity In Care: Midwifery In Ontario During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The study has been published in the Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research and Practice. The study investigates the unique challenges midwives faced in delivering high-quality care during […]

Two Anthropology Professors honoured at the 2024 York University Research Awards Celebration

Associate Professor Denielle Elliott and Professor Emerita Wenona Giles were honoured during the 2024 York University Research Awards Celebration. The York University Research Award Celebration honours York’s scholars across all faculties and schools for their remarkable achievements and contributions to creating positive change. Read the full story

Dr. Zulfikar Hirji Co-Organizing the Pioneering Arts of the Indian Ocean Conference

The Department of Anthropology is pleased to announce that our full-time faculty member, Dr. Zulfikar Hirji co-organized the Pioneering Arts of the Indian Ocean Conference that brought together 75 scholars, artists and curators from various backgrounds to explore the artistic heritage of the Indian Ocean region across different mediums, geographies and eras. The conference's presentations […]

New Podcast Launches In Collaboration With AGYU

The Department of Anthropology is pleased to announce the launch of a limited podcast series. In collaboration with Art Gallery of York University (AGYU) curators Lillian O'Brien Davis and Clara Halpern, Dr. Zulfikar Hirji developed 'Speculative Futures of Objects' as part of the AGYU's Uncontainable Collections Research Project. The joint project emerged from Dr. Hirji's […]

Anthropology Annual Lecture explores the Management of Colonial Luggage

Date: Thursday, April 4, 2024Time: 4 - 6 p.m. ESTLocation: Downtown Toronto Distinguished Lecturer: Ghassan Hage The Oxford English Dictionary defines luggage: 1.) suitcases or other bags in which to pack personal belongings for travelling and, 2.) past experiences or long-held ideas and opinions perceived as burdensome encumbrances. Each of these definitions belongs to a […]