Alexander S. Dent

Professor Alexander S. Dent is a linguistic and sociocultural anthropologist at George Washington University, with dual appointments in Anthropology and International Affairs. His research spans digital culture, intellectual property, music, and authoritarianism in Brazil, Latin America, and the United States. He combines ethnographic fieldwork with theoretical frameworks from linguistic anthropology, media studies, and performance studies.

• Current projects include a National Science Foundation-funded study on teenage cell phone use in Washington DC
• Research explores digital piracy, media legitimacy, and Brazilian punk-rock's role in social change

Key research areas include:

• Digital media and policing
• Music as political expression
• Authoritarian speech patterns
• Intellectual property regimes
• Performance in post-authoritarian contexts

Scientific Distinctions:

• 2015 - Oscar and Shoshana Trachtenberg Prize for Teaching Excellence
• 2008 - Morton Bender Award for Undergraduate Teaching

As Associate Editor of Anthropological Quarterly and Research Associate at the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History, he bridges academic roles with public engagement. He also actively participates in DC's music scene with bands Weird Babies and Cash on the Nail.