Amanda Kearney

Amanda Kearney is a Full Professor of Anthropology at San Diego State University, holding tenure since August 2023. She previously held roles at the University of New South Wales, University of Melbourne, and University of Adelaide, including the Inaugural Kidman Chair of Australian Studies. Her research focuses on Indigenous resilience, kincentric ecologies, and plural knowledges, collaborating extensively with Yanyuwa, Marra, and Aṉangu communities in northern and central Australia. She has authored/co-authored works like Indigenous Law and the Politics of Kincentricity & Orality and pioneered the first Doctor of Science in Applied Anthropology in the US. Kearney also consults on Indigenous rights, environmental ethics, and corporate social responsibility, and serves as Editor-in-Chief of Anthropological Forum.

Education:

• PhD in Anthropology, University of Melbourne (2005)
• B.Arts Honours in Anthropology, University of Queensland (1998)
• B.Arts in Anthropology, University of Queensland (1997)

Research Interests: Her work emphasizes Indigenous land/sea rights, climate change, and cross-cultural collaboration. She pioneered methodologies like kincentric ecology and post-conventional anthropology, blending ethnography with digital tools to preserve Indigenous knowledge. Recent projects include rock art analysis in the Gulf of Carpentaria and studies on Indigenous legal frameworks.

Grants & Recognition: Secured five major federal grants and extensive donor funding. Her work bridges academia and activism, advising on Indigenous autonomy, marine resource management, and intercultural ethics. She has held visiting roles at universities in Brazil, Germany, Denmark, and Australia.

Labs & Collaborations: Collaborates with Indigenous families to co-design research, focusing on land/sea management, education reform, and cultural heritage preservation. Her digital animation projects, like the Yanyuwa Animation Project, translate oral histories into multimedia formats.