Christopher C. Fennell

Christopher C. Fennell is a distinguished Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with additional appointments as Professor in the College of Law, Landscape Architecture, African American Studies, Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory, Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies, Center for African Studies, and Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. He also serves as a yearly Visiting Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School.

Fennell holds an M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, a J.D. from Georgetown University (1989), and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia (2003). His research spans historical archaeology, diaspora studies, and legal anthropology, with particular focus on African diaspora communities, racialization processes, craft and industrial heritage, and critical heritage studies. His work examines the dynamics of social group affiliations and lifeways among Europeans, Africans, and various social groups within the Americas through interpretative frameworks that address social identities, ethnic dynamics, heritage studies, commodity chains, and material culture analysis.

Fennell's extensive publication record demonstrates a consistent scholarly trajectory examining African diaspora heritage across the Americas, with particular attention to the archaeological evidence of cultural continuity, resistance, and innovation. His recent work has increasingly focused on critical heritage studies, particularly addressing monuments of oppression, commemorative practices, and restorative justice frameworks. The thematic evolution in his scholarship reveals a progression from foundational archaeological studies of diaspora communities toward more activist-oriented scholarship that directly engages with contemporary social justice issues through heritage practices. His research consistently bridges disciplinary boundaries, connecting archaeology with legal studies, landscape architecture, and critical race theory.

• John L. Cotter Award recipient (2009) for outstanding scholarly achievement in African diaspora studies
• Gustave O. Arlt Award recipient (2010) for outstanding contribution to scholarship in the humanities
• University Scholar Award (2014-2017)
• Daniel G. Roberts Award for Excellence in Public Historical Archaeology (2020) for commitment to public scholarship and anti-racism scholarship
• Multiple recognitions for teaching excellence, including being voted outstanding Anthropology Faculty member by students

Fennell has successfully mentored numerous doctoral and master's students, including Kathrina Aben (Ph.D. 2024), Jamie Arjona (Ph.D. 2023), and several others who have completed advanced degrees under his supervision. His significant grant funding includes projects such as the New Philadelphia Archaeology Project (funded by the National Science Foundation), Cultural Creativity, History & Heritage in Edgefield, South Carolina (supported by the Humanities Council of South Carolina and the National Endowment for the Humanities), and Memory and Heart: Pasts and Presents of African American Communities. As founding editor of the Journal of African Diaspora Archaeology and Heritage and the Restorative Justice in Heritage Studies & Archaeology book series, Fennell has created important scholarly venues that advance research in his fields of expertise. His research teams have conducted extensive fieldwork at sites including the Edgefield Pottery District in South Carolina, New Philadelphia, Illinois, and Great Blasket Island, Ireland, producing significant contributions to our understanding of African diaspora communities and their material cultures.