In the Department of Anthropology at American University, our collective mission centers on doing public anthropology in the service of social justice. Whether the social issue is racism, sexism, environmental degradation, social discriminations, class struggle, community displacements, human and animal rights, or anything else, we marshal the professional rigor, the tools and methods, and the theoretical perspectives of anthropology to contribute to real progressive change in the world. Ours is a department with a deep and pioneering history of doing engaged and socially-impactful anthropological research.

Each member of our faculty is essential to our undergraduate, master’s in public anthropology (MAPA), and doctoral (PhD) programs. In our department, students are trained to be public intellectuals. Our graduates are very successful and can be found in university, private-sector, and government positions around the globe.

It is a dynamic and exciting time for our department as we continue to enhance our social justice mission and work to train the next generation of public anthropologists.