معرفی
Laurah E. Klepinger serves as Associate Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Anthropology at Utica University's School of Arts & Sciences, where she has held a faculty position since 2016.
Her academic credentials include:
- Ph.D. and M.A. in Anthropology from Syracuse University
- M.A. and M.F.A. in Dance from UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures
- B.A. in Dance from the University of Michigan (minor in Religion)
Her research critically examines inequality within global spiritual movements, with expertise in cultural appropriation, religion, gender, and globalization. Fieldwork in India revealed how transnational yoga institutions perpetuate social injustice while promoting peace. Current projects investigate vaccine hesitancy in North America and integrative healthcare for children in Central New York.
Her 2022 book analyzes ethnographic data from four years of research across India and North America, exposing contradictions between spiritual missions and labor exploitation in global wellness economies.
Key recognitions include:
- Fulbright Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Award
- Faculty Fellowship at Utica University’s Institute for the Study of Integrative Healthcare (2023-24)
Research funding from Fulbright and the American Institute of Indian Studies supports her ongoing work with the Intermountain Covid-19 Impact Consortium, including the 'Covid Stories' oral history project documenting student experiences during pandemic campus reopenings.
She collaborates with Utica faculty on healthcare initiatives through the Institute for the Study of Integrative Healthcare and contributes to the Intermountain Covid-19 Impact Consortium’s national research network.
