Melissa Johnson

Melissa Johnson is a Professor of Anthropology at Southwestern University, specializing in environmental anthropology, race, and gender with a focus on Belizean Creole communities. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan (1998) and a B.A. from Williams College (1984). Her work critically examines intersections of race, environment, and colonialism, with research spanning Belize, Central Texas, and the U.S.-Mexico borderlands.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Anthropology, University of Michigan (1998)
  • B.A. in Biology with Environmental Studies, Williams College (1984)
• Research Interests:
  • Racialization and colonial histories in Belize
  • Ecotourism and environmental conservation
  • Gendered labor and transnational ecologies
  • Environmental justice in border regions

Her book Becoming Creole: Nature and Race in Belize (2018) explores how racialization shapes Creole relationships with nature. Recent projects include historical research on 18th-century racial categories and Belize’s early colonial socioecologies. She engages in public-facing scholarship, including digital projects on Southwestern’s racial history.

Grants & Awards:

• 2022 AKA Spirit of Giving Award
• 2019 Jesse E. Purdy Excellence in Scholarly Works Award
• 2009 Joe S. Mundy Award
• 2006 Southwestern Senior Teaching Award
• Fulbright Grant (1993-1994)

Teaching & Leadership: Chair of Race and Ethnicity Studies, member of Environmental Studies program, and former leader of Southwestern’s Diversity Enrichment Committee. Teaches courses on race, environmental justice, and Caribbean studies. Leads study abroad programs in Belize.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates on Southwestern’s Racial History Project (SCOPE), environmental justice initiatives, and interdisciplinary Belizean research with students.