Erica Caple James

Erica Caple James is an Associate Professor at MIT affiliated with the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP). Her research focuses on violence/trauma, humanitarianism, human rights, and postconflict transitions, with a geographic emphasis on Haiti and its diaspora communities. She holds a PhD from Harvard University and has conducted extensive fieldwork since the 1990s.

Education

• PhD in Anthropology, Harvard University
• MA in Religion & Psychological Studies, Harvard Divinity School
• BA in Anthropology, Princeton University

Research Interests

Her work bridges medical anthropology and urban studies, examining how institutions shape marginalized communities. Key themes include:

• Psychosocial impacts of political violence
• Role of faith-based organizations in immigration
• Environmental justice struggles in the U.S. South
• Cocoa farming resilience in Haiti

Awards

• 2013 Gordon K. & Sybille Lewis Book Award
• James A. Levitan Prize in the Humanities (2020)

Grants & Advising

Recipient of NIH Health Disparities Research Program funding and USAID projects. Currently mentoring initiatives on climate resilience for Haitian farmers and infrastructure equity in Charlottesville.

Lab/Teams

Active in MIT Global Health & Medical Humanities Initiative and co-leads interdisciplinary teams studying faith-based NGOs and postconflict recovery strategies.