Lisa Cliggett

Lisa Cliggett is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Kentucky's College of Arts & Sciences. She previously served as Chair of the Anthropology Department (2016-2021) and Editor of Economic Anthropology (2011-2015). Her research focuses on Political Ecology, Sustainability, Sub-Saharan Africa (particularly Zambia), and qualitative methodologies. She leads the Gwembe Tonga Research Project, a long-term ethnographic study of the Tonga people in Zambia's Gwembe Valley.

Education:

• PhD/MA in Anthropology from Indiana University, Bloomington
• BA in Anthropology and Psychology from Connecticut College

Research Interests: Cliggett explores themes such as household political economy, kinship systems, environmental change, migration, and aging. Her work integrates digital data management strategies with traditional ethnographic methods. Key projects include analyzing the socio-ecological impacts of displacement in Zambia and documenting intergenerational resilience in marginalized communities.

Labs/Teams: She directs the Gwembe Tonga Research Project (GTRP), whose data archive is publicly accessible via formal request. Collaborations include interdisciplinary work with geographers and remote sensing experts to study land-use changes in Zambia.

Awards & Grants: While specific awards are unlisted, her extensive publishing record and leadership roles reflect sustained academic recognition. She has secured funding for longitudinal research projects and digital archiving initiatives.

Professional Affiliations:

• African American and Africana Studies
• Environmental and Sustainability Studies
• Social Theory
• Commonwealth Institute for Black Studies