Kristin Phillips

Kristin Phillips is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Director of Graduate Studies at Emory University. Her work focuses on energy justice, poverty, and infrastructure in East Africa and the US South. She holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin, Madison (2009).

Her research examines how marginalized communities navigate resource scarcity, energy access, and postcolonial policies. Recent projects include NSF-funded studies on energy burden in the US South and gendered energy practices in Tanzania. Key publications include her 2018 book An Ethnography of Hunger, which won multiple awards.

Phillips has collaborated extensively with Dr. Erin Dean and received teaching accolades including the 2015 Crystal Apples Award. Her research bridges anthropology’s subfields, addressing themes like environmental justice, political culture, and the ethics of development.