Barbara Mills

Barbara Mills is the Regents' Professor of Anthropology and Professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Arizona, affiliated with the School of Anthropology and Arizona State Museum. Her research focuses on archaeological method and theory, particularly in the North American Southwest, emphasizing ceramic analysis, social networks, and material culture studies. She leads the Southwest Social Networks Project, applying social network analysis to prehistoric social dynamics. Her work integrates interdisciplinary methods, including collaborations with indigenous communities like the White Mountain Apache Tribe.

Her research spans regions including Zuni, Chaco, Mimbres, and Hohokam areas, with international experience in Guatemala, Kazakhstan, and Turkey. Key interests include craft specialization, migration patterns, and the interplay between materiality and memory. She teaches courses on archaeological analysis, Southwest archaeology, and ethics in archaeology. Her contributions to archaeological theory have advanced understanding of social inequality, identity, and relational logics through material evidence.

Publications emphasize network analysis applications, ceramic technology, and migration studies. Collaborative projects highlight synthetic research approaches, such as cyberSW data synthesis. Ongoing work explores resilience in nonindustrial societies and the role of material culture in community formation.