Erika Rappaport

Professor Erika Rappaport (Ph.D., Rutgers University, 1993) is a distinguished scholar at the University of California, Santa Barbara Department of History. Her research bridges Modern British and Imperial History with Gender Studies and Consumer Culture.

• Specializes in transnational commodity networks, gendered consumption, and imperial economies
• Teaches graduate/undergraduate courses on British Empire, Food History, and Persuasion Industries

Current research explores public relations during decolonization through her book-in-progress Whitewashing: How Public Relations Sold the End of Empire, analyzing how PR shaped postcolonial economic relationships and global capitalist frameworks. Her 2017 monograph A Thirst for Empire received multiple awards including the AHA Jerry Bentley Prize.

Key publications since 2020 demonstrate her focus on:

• Imperial propaganda mechanisms
• Gendered consumption patterns
• Food industry globalization
• Advertising's cultural impact

Awarded prestigious fellowships from the NEH and University of California, she has advised multiple doctoral students while maintaining active involvement in consumer history editorial projects.