RESEARCH PROJECTS

Social identities, marginalization, and unfair labor in imperial and colonial encounters. Using archaeological and ethnohistoric methods I study how indigenous peoples in the Andes responded to colonization by creating new strategies for social and economic integration and cooperation. Watch a recent public talk here (en español).

Craft production and wealth goods access across imperial spaces.  With museum collections and excavated collections from the Andean highlands and coast, I analyze the technological style of material culture, especially ceramics, textiles, and metal goods. This work includes both archaeometric techniques and visual analysis of technology. Understanding communities of practice and patterns of access to certain goods informs broader interpretations of how different populations participated in imperial and colonial life in the Andes.

Resettlement and socio-economic reorganization in early Colonial Cusco. Using archival documents and analyzing archaeological settlement patterns, I examine how indigenous communities in the 16th to 17th centuries reconstituted themselves in light of changing labor demands and land tenure.

Anti-racist and equitable teaching strategies in anthropology and writing. I research student experiences in courses that are developed through anti-racist and equitable pedagogies. This includes tracking demographic trends in enrollment over time and analyzing student reflections to evaluate the impacts of "centering the margins" in different types of college courses.