معرفی
Dr. Luke Heslop is a Senior Lecturer in Anthropology and Global Challenges at Brunel University London's College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences. His work focuses on South Asian development, infrastructure, and kinship systems across Sri Lanka, Maldives, and the Indian Ocean region. As founding member of the South Asia Studies Research Group and Director of Research at PRISA, he bridges academic and policy domains through ethnographic approaches to global challenges.
Education:
- PhD in Social Anthropology, University of Edinburgh (2015)
- MSc(res) in Social Anthropology, University of Edinburgh (2010)
- BA(Joint Hons) Anthropology and Development Studies, Sussex University (2009)
- Introduction to Project Management, City University of London (2020)
His research examines how macro-economic shifts manifest in everyday life through three interconnected strands: mercantile kinship networks in Sri Lankan business families; infrastructure development (particularly roads and connectivity in the Maldives); and evolving 'advice ecosystems' in South Asian business development. Recent work analyzes Chinese infrastructure projects in island nations, financial architectures of development, and the social life of work in emerging economies. His ethnographic approach centers on lived experiences of political and economic transformation, with emphasis on labor, mobility, and financialization.
Heslop's publications reveal consistent focus on South Asian political economy through infrastructure studies (40%), business anthropology (35%), and kinship dynamics (25%). His 2021-2024 work increasingly addresses climate vulnerability in island contexts and decolonial approaches to development advice. Key journals include Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, Current Anthropology, and Journal of South Asian Development.
PhD Supervision:
- First Supervisor: Matthew Adams (Metaverse ethnography), Ramish Chohan (Pakistan brick kiln workers)
- Second Supervisor: Bandana Adhikary (Nepalese education), Veronika Senkyrova (Policing/obesity)
- Research Development Advisor: Kat Lacey, Mercy Brown
Heslop directs the MSc Global South Asia Studies program and convenes 'Practising Anthropology' while contributing to modules on South Asian societies, religion, and development. His 'Migration Menu' podcast and public exhibitions translate research into accessible formats, demonstrating commitment to impact beyond academia. Current projects include 'South Asia in West London' exploring diaspora communities through food, education, and entrepreneurship lenses.
