Kristina Jacobsen

Kristina Jacobsen is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Ethnomusicology at the University of New Mexico, where she bridges cultural anthropology with music studies to explore Indigenous identity, language politics, and expressive culture. Her interdisciplinary work centers on Navajo (Diné) communities and Sardinian contexts, examining how music facilitates cultural continuity and identity formation in minority language settings.

Her research interests focus on language reclamation processes, the politics of belonging through expressive culture, and arts-based methodologies. Jacobsen investigates how country music functions as a medium for heritage language revitalization in both Navajo Nation and Sardinia, while analyzing the complex intersections of kinship, blood quantum, and tribal citizenship in contemporary Indigenous life. She employs innovative approaches like ethnographic songwriting to humanize research subjects and explore trauma recovery.

Jacobsen's publications reveal a consistent engagement with Indigenous sovereignty, transnational cultural flows, and the politics of representation. Her work demonstrates how musical genres like country-western become sites for negotiating identity across different cultural contexts, while her ethnographic methods emphasize collaborative knowledge production with community members.

• Woody Guthrie Award (2018) for The Sound of Navajo Country: Music, Language and Diné Belonging
• Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Prize for Most Thought-Provoking Article (2019)

As a Fulbright Scholar and Wenner-Gren Foundation grantee, Jacobsen has conducted extensive fieldwork in Sardinia examining songwriting and language reclamation in the context of Italian colonialism. She founded the UNM Honky-Tonk Ensemble, an innovative performance group that embodies her commitment to experiential learning and community engagement through music.

Her teaching portfolio includes courses on country music and cultural politics, Navajo expressive culture, and creative ethnography, all emphasizing hands-on engagement with artistic practices. Jacobsen's collaborative approach extends to her fieldwork methodology, where she develops insider/outsider partnerships that respect community knowledge while advancing anthropological theory.