Yannis Hamilakis

Yannis Hamilakis is the Joukowsky Family Professor of Archaeology and Professor of Modern Greek Studies at Brown University. He holds a BA from the University of Crete, and MSc/PhD from the University of Sheffield. Previously, he taught at the University of Wales Lampeter (1996–2000) and the University of Southampton (2000–2016). His research focuses on the socio-politics of the past, sensory archaeology, and contemporary migration, with a geographical emphasis on Greece and the Aegean. Key projects include the Koutroulou Magoula Archaeology Project (since 2010) and studies on Lesvos' Moria refugee camp. He has held fellowships at institutions like Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study and the Getty Research Institute.

Research interests span archaeological ethnography, critical heritage, and decolonial theory. His work critiques archaeological practices as tools of Western modernity while advocating for politically engaged, socially just scholarship. Major publications include Archaeology, Nation, and Race (2022) and Archaeology and the Senses (2013).

Editorial roles include American Anthropologist and Journal of Contemporary Archaeology. He directs field projects on Neolithic Greece and contemporary migration, blending archaeology with ethnography and art. His work emphasizes multi-temporal engagement with material culture and marginalized communities.