Amanda Logan

Amanda Logan is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Northwestern University and a 2022 Carnegie Fellow. Her research focuses on African archaeology, paleoethnobotany, and the historical roots of food security.

Education

• BA, Simon Fraser University
• MA, University of Missouri
• PhD, University of Michigan (2012)

Research Interests
Award-winning work on food security in Africa’s deep past, emphasizing how historical narratives challenge colonial stereotypes. Key areas: paleoethnobotany, climate change, sustainability, and the archaeology of inequality. Her 2020 book, The Scarcity Slot, redefines food security discourse in Ghana and globally.

Key Projects
Current work in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, explores environmental histories of food security. Collaborations include Prof. Gerard Chouin and Prof. Adisa Ogunfolakan, with fieldwork on medieval agricultural practices.

Scientific Recognition

• 2022 Carnegie Fellow
• 2021 First Book Award (Association for the Study of Food and Society)
• 2017 Gordon R. Willey Prize
• 2013 Society of American Archaeology Dissertation Award

Affiliations
Program of African Studies and Program in Environmental Policy and Culture at Northwestern. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in African archaeology, food studies, and archaeological methods.