Within the field of anthropology- broadly defined as the study of human-kind- I specialize in linguistic anthropology- the study of language and communication as social phenomena. My work so far has involved a musical component.
My current project, titled, "An isiZulu / English Grammar of Hope: HIV Stigmatization, globalization, and agency in South Africa," is an ethnographic study of individuals living with HIV in South Africa. I prepared for this project by participating in the Foreign Language Area Studies summer intensive language cooperative in 2003, studying the equivalent of one year of the Zulu language, then by participating in the Zulu Fulbright Hays Group Project Abroad in 2005, traveling to South Africa and studying the equivalent of a second year of the Zulu language. While in South Africa in 2005 I conducted pilot interviews for the project. I returned again to South Africa in 2006 to set up institutional contacts for the project. Finally, In 2008 I spent nine months studying communication about HIV, especially focusing on work with a Zulu gospel choir whose members are HIV positive.
Prior to the current project I worked closely with my committee chair Alessandro Duranti on his project "Socialization into Jazz Aesthetics". This work was rooted in fifteen years training as a jazz saxophonist and eight years work as a semi-professional musician. That work has for me resulted in the completion of my Master's thesis, several conference publications, and two academic articles (see below).
Writings, publications, conference presentations
"Stigmatization, globalization, and agency in language and music" --To be presented at the American Anthropology Association meetings in Philadelphia, PA.
"Socialization into improvisation" (co-author w/ primary author Alessandro Duranti). To appear in The Language Socialization Handbook, A. Duranti, E. Ochs, & B. Schiefflin (eds.).
(2009). "Communicating stigma and disclosure among South Africans living with HIV"--Presented at the conference on Language, Interaction, and Society (LISO), University of California, Santa Barbara.
(2009). "Laughing to death, living with HIV in South Africa." --Presented at the Society for Psychological Anthropology biennial meeting, Asilomar, CA.
(2008). "Creativity and learning jazz: the practice of 'listening'." Mind, Culture, and Activity 15(4): 279-295.
(2006). "Language, music, and identity: Ideologies of communication" --Presented at the American Anthropological Association 105th Annual Meeting, San Jose, CA.
(2006). "Teaching creativity in small jazz ensembles" --Presented at the Symposium About Language & Society- Austin (SALSA).
(2005). "The paradox of teaching creativity: Communicative strategies for teaching creativity in small jazz ensembles." (unpublished Master's thesis)