Rachel Brown

Rachel Brown is a part-time Assistant Teaching Professor at the University of Victoria (UVic), affiliated with the Religion, Culture and Society Program and the Department of Anthropology. She previously served as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at the University of Evansville (2017-2018). Her research focuses on intersections of food, religion, and migration, particularly how minority communities negotiate identity through food practices in secular contexts.

Education includes a PhD in Religion and Cultural Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University (2016), an MA in Religious Studies from McMaster University (2009), and a BA (Honours) in Religious Studies from the University of Waterloo (2007). Her doctoral research explored North African Muslim immigrants in Paris and Montreal, analyzing how food practices mediate relationships between homeland and hostland identities.

Key research interests include religious minorities’ cultural contributions to North America and Europe, food as a lens for studying migration, and the role of food in boundary maintenance. Her work critiques frameworks of integration, particularly in French and Canadian contexts. She has published widely on topics like Muslim foodways, research positionality, and religious identity in the Pacific Northwest.

Rachel coordinates research activities at the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society (CSRS) at UVic, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on religion, culture, and society. Her publications span edited volumes, peer-reviewed journals, and encyclopedic entries, reflecting her commitment to both academic and public-facing scholarship.