Robert J. Gordon

Robert J. Gordon is Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at the University of Vermont's College of Arts and Sciences, specializing in African hunter-gatherers, colonialism, and visual anthropology. Born in Namibia, he brings firsthand perspective to studies of indigenous communities.

His research challenges romanticized notions of 'Bushmen' through critical analysis of media representations and colonial legacies. Work emphasizes land rights struggles, ethnic identity politics, and the impact of development interventions on indigenous communities.

Publications consistently deconstruct colonial representations while documenting indigenous resistance and agency. Recent work examines apartheid's implementation in Namibia and ethnographic approaches to photography.

Honors include Fulbright Fellowships, Wenner-Gren Foundation grants, and National Endowment for the Humanities support.