Mary Hancock

Mary Hancock is a Professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, holding joint appointments in the Department of Anthropology and the Department of History within the College of Letters and Science. She specializes in Sociocultural Anthropology with a focus on modern South Asia, particularly urban South India. Her work examines intersections of gender, nationalism, religion, public memory, and cultural studies.

Dr. Hancock earned her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. Her research explores themes such as the mediation of evangelical Christianity, urban space and heritage politics, and the role of public memory in shaping contemporary societies. Her notable publications include Womanhood in the Making (1999) and The Politics of Heritage from Madras to Chennai (2008).

Her current research investigates evangelical Christian media and its role in missionary practices. She advises students in anthropological and historical studies but no specific advisee names are listed. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided materials.

Dr. Hancock’s office is located in HSSB 2071, and she can be reached at (805) 893-2907. Her work bridges disciplinary boundaries, integrating historical methodologies with anthropological frameworks to analyze socio-cultural dynamics in South Asia.