Ethan Caldwell

Ethan Caldwell serves as an Associate Professor and Academic Advisor in the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's College of Social Sciences, with office location in George Hall 304 and contact via (808) 956-5354 or ethanlc@hawaii.edu.

Education:

• PhD in African American Studies, Northwestern University, 2017

As an interdisciplinary specialist with mixed-race heritage, Dr. Caldwell investigates how Black diaspora communities construct conceptions of Blackness, race, and empire across Pacific contexts—particularly Okinawa—through post-WWII intersections of Black-Asian relations, militarism, and visual culture. His current book project analyzes historical and visual formations of race/gender/empire dynamics between African American soldiers and Okinawan civilians, complemented by collaborative photography projects examining war memory and foodways.

Awards:

• College of Social Sciences Award for Excellence in Teaching (2022)

Dr. Caldwell actively mentors students as faculty advisor for the UH Mānoa Black Student Association and engages with the Our History - Our Way Center for Oral History, Island Connections, and Ethnic Studies Student Association, demonstrating commitment to community-based scholarship and student development.