Andrew Carruthers

Andrew Carruthers is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on linguistic anthropology, semiotics, migration studies, and the intersections of borders, mobilities, and infrastructures in Southeast Asia. He has held notable positions including the 2022–2023 U.S. Senior Fulbright Scholarship at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and a Postdoctoral Fellowship with the Max Weber Foundation in Singapore.

Education: Ph.D. (Yale University, 2016), M.Phil. (Yale, 2012), A.B. (Cornell University, 2009), with visiting studies at Universitas Hasanuddin (Indonesia) and National University of Singapore.

Research Interests: Carruthers explores how Malay-speaking migrants navigate sociopolitical landscapes through language and symbolism. His work bridges theoretical frameworks with applied policy analysis, particularly in border regions of Malaysia and Indonesia. Key themes include the social life of comparison, infrastructural politics, and the semiotics of illegality.

Publications highlight his expertise in migration governance, maritime spaces, and ethnographic methodology. Notable works include Specters of Affinity (under contract) and Living on the Edge (ISEAS, 2018). He contributes to policy dialogues on migration and pandemic governance through ISEAS Perspectives and other outlets.

Affiliations include the Wolf Humanities Center and Perry World House at UPenn, the Max Weber Foundation Research Group in Singapore, and the Global Malaysian Studies Network. His teaching spans courses on globalization, Southeast Asian studies, and linguistic anthropology.