LaShandra Sullivan

LaShandra Sullivan is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Northwestern University, specializing in cultural anthropology with a focus on land relations, racialized labor, queer politics, and property struggles. Her research centers on collaborations with activists in Mississippi and Brazil, addressing historical and ongoing oppression through protest and resistance. She holds a PhD from the University of Chicago (2013) and has authored the book Unsettling Agribusiness: Indigenous Protests and Land Conflict in Brazil (2023).

Her work explores themes such as Indigenous land activism in Mato Grosso do Sul, Black and LGBTQ+ resilience in Rio de Janeiro, and the intersections of property rights with identity. Sullivan’s peer-reviewed publications include articles in American Anthropologist, PoLar, and Social Dynamics, as well as edited volumes on Afro-Brazilian citizenship and property narratives. She currently leads ethnographic and archival research projects in both Mississippi and Brazil, examining landholding practices and LGBTQ+ advocacy.

Though not currently accepting new graduate students, Sullivan actively engages with interdisciplinary grant initiatives and has contributed to institutional frameworks supporting marginalized communities. Her research integrates archival studies, ethnographic fieldwork, and participatory activism, offering critical insights into global struggles over land, identity, and belonging.