Uzma Rizvi

Uzma Rizvi serves as an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Urban Studies within the Department of Social Science and Cultural Studies at the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Pratt Institute. As a curator and anthropological archaeologist, she bridges academic scholarship with public heritage initiatives.

Her research centers on decolonizing archaeological practices through critical heritage studies and postcolonial critique, examining how colonial frameworks shape archaeological narratives. She investigates urban spaces in South Asia and diaspora communities, emphasizing community-led knowledge production and alternative methodologies that challenge Western epistemological dominance. Her work integrates anthropology, archaeology, and urban studies to reimagine equitable heritage practices.

Dr. Rizvi actively contributes to democratizing design history through her membership in the Futuress collective and the Against the Grain fellowship. These initiatives foster inclusive scholarship by critically examining designed pasts and amplifying marginalized voices. She mentors students in decolonial methodologies while advocating for transformative academic practices that center social justice and community engagement in archaeological work.