معرفی
Morgan Liu is an Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Departments of Anthropology and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at The Ohio State University. He also serves as affiliated faculty in Comparative Studies, French and Italian, and multiple regional studies centers. His research focuses on elite networks, Islamic revival, and postsocialist transformations in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and China. Liu holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan and previously served as a Society of Fellows postdoc at Harvard University.
Key professional roles include Chairmanship of the Central Eurasian Studies Society (2019-2021), Interim Chair of Near Eastern Languages & Cultures (2013 & 2017-2018), and committee member for the National Endowment for the Humanities (2019). His work emphasizes ethnographic analysis of urban spaces, informal power dynamics, and transnational connections between Central Asia, Turkey, Russia, and China.
Liu's research integrates anthropological theory with empirical studies of post-Soviet societies, particularly focusing on how Central Asians navigate systemic challenges through cultural frameworks. His 2012 book Under Solomon’s Throne, which won the CESS Best Book Award, examines Uzbek visions of renewal in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. Recent work explores Caspian Basin governance, post-socialist development models, and Islamic discourses on social justice.
He actively contributes to public scholarship through Huffington Post blog posts and academic blogging, alongside teaching courses on Central Asian culture, anthropology theory, and global ethnography. His research has been supported by grants from the NEH and Fulbright-Hays programs.
