Michael MJ Fischer

Michael MJ Fischer is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Humanities at MIT and holds appointments in Anthropology, Science and Technology Studies (STS), and Global Health at Harvard Medical School. He specializes in cultural anthropology, medical anthropology, and the global implications of science and technology. Fischer’s work bridges ethnography, film analysis, and postcolonial critique, with a focus on Southeast Asia, Singapore, and Iran.

Education:

• B.A. in Liberal Arts/Geography, Johns Hopkins University (1967)
• Ph.D. in Anthropology, University of Chicago (1973)

Research Interests:

• Anthropology of science and technology
• Cultural critique and emergent forms of life
• Iranian cultural debates and social revolution
• Global health ethics and biomedical technologies
• Documentary film and visual arts as ethnographic tools

Key Contributions:

• Directed MIT’s STS Program (1996–2000)
• Co-editor of Experimental Futures and A Reader in Medical Anthropology
• Authored 10 books, including studies on Singapore, Iran, and postcolonial urbanism

Awards and Fellowships:

• Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Humanities
• Carnegie Fellow (2005)
• Ngee Ann Kongsi Visiting Professor (Singapore)

His teaching spans social theory, ethnography, film studies, and the ethics of emerging technologies. Fischer’s interdisciplinary approach emphasizes global-local dynamics in science, culture, and health.