Paul Boyce

Dr Paul Boyce is an Associate Professor in Anthropology and International Development at the School of Global Studies, University of Sussex. His academic work bridges anthropology, queer theory, and international development, with a particular focus on sexual and gendered subjectivities in global contexts. He holds an ESRC-funded PhD from the London School of Economics and an MA in Applied Anthropology and Community and Youth Work from Goldsmith College, University of London.

His educational background includes:

• PhD from the London School of Economics (ESRC funded)
• MA in Applied Anthropology and Community and Youth Work from Goldsmith College, University of London
• ESRC post-doctoral fellowship at the Institute of Education, University of London (2005-2006)
• ESRC post-doctoral award for research on same-sex sexualities in West Bengal (2007-2011)

Dr Boyce's research spans multiple interconnected domains, with a consistent focus on the intersection of queer theory, anthropology, and practical applications in global health and higher education. His work critically examines the categorization and commodification of gender and sexual subjects in both global health and higher education settings, arguing that such processes often curtail the capacity to develop truly inclusive policies and programs. With extensive fieldwork experience in India, particularly West Bengal, his research employs collaborative, community-based methodologies including visual ethnography. His work has significant policy implications, having informed initiatives by organizations including the Indian National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), UNDP, and UNFPA. Dr Boyce has developed a distinctive approach that connects ethnographic practice with community engagement, queer theory, and anthropological conceptualizations of gender, sexualities, health, and socio-economic change.

His recent publications (2018-2023) demonstrate a clear trajectory focusing on queer perspectives in global contexts, particularly during the pandemic. The 2020-2023 publications show increasing attention to how crises like COVID-19 affect gender and sexual minorities, with a particular emphasis on South Asia. His work consistently applies queer theoretical frameworks to challenge normative assumptions in both academic and policy contexts, with special attention to the "uncanny effects and representational erasures" that marginalized communities experience.

His notable achievements include:

• Ruth Benedict Prize for Outstanding Edited Collection for "Queering Knowledge: Analytics, Devices and Investments after Marilyn Strathern"

Dr Boyce has been actively involved in mentoring and supervision, having guided doctoral students working on diverse topics including same-sex sexualities in India, Cuba and South Africa, queer kinship in China, and HIV prevention in Portugal. His current research portfolio includes significant grant-funded projects such as the Wellcome Trust grant exploring the reframing of stigma in respect of HIV, and membership in the steering group for Brighton's 'Fast Track City' programme, part of a UN strategy addressing HIV-related stigma. He is also leading a national study of LGBTQI experiences in UK Higher Education, which will comprise the largest national survey on this topic in the UK.

He co-founded the European Network for Queer Anthropology (ENQA), affiliated with the European Association for Social Anthropologists, and has been instrumental in developing Sussex's new BA degree in Liberal Arts with a focus on Widening Participation and inclusive curricula. His collaborative approach extends to community-based research projects, particularly his visual ethnographic work with gender and sexual minority communities in South Asia.