Molly Doane

Molly Doane, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), affiliated with the Latin American and Latino Studies Program and the Institute for Environmental and Social Policy. She holds an adjunct curator position at the Field Museum. Her research focuses on environmental politics, climate refugees, fair trade systems, and alternative food economies. She earned her PhD from CUNY in 2001.

• Education: PhD in Anthropology, CUNY, 2001

Her research explores environmental conservation conflicts in Mexico, fair trade coffee dynamics in Chiapas, and organic agriculture in Wisconsin. She investigates food sovereignty in Palestine and urban community gardens in Chicago, particularly among refugee populations. Collaborative projects include museum exhibits and funded research through UIC’s Global Initiative.

Her work has been recognized with LASA’s Best Book Award (2012) and the AAA Environment and Anthropology section award (2007). She has secured grants from the National Science Foundation, Wenner-Gren Foundation, and others. She co-edits the Critical Green Engagements book series and serves on editorial boards for Environment and Society and North American Dialogue.

• Grants & Funding: NSF, Wenner-Gren Foundation, UIC Institute for the Humanities Fellowship (2020)
• Collaborations: UIC student researchers, Dr. Alaka Wali and Dr. Joanna Michel on Chicago gardens

She participates in UIC’s Political Ecology and Chicago Area Food Working Groups, organizing symposia and exhibits. Her research bridges anthropology, environmental policy, and community-based initiatives.