Rafael Wainer

Rafael Wainer is a Continuing Sessional Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with the Faculty of Arts. His academic background includes a PhD in Medical Anthropology (UBC, 2017), an M.A. from UBC (2008), and a Licenciado from the Universidad de Buenos Aires (2003). His research focuses on medical anthropology, socio-cultural anthropology, and health-related issues in Latin America, particularly Argentina.

Education:

• Ph.D., Medical Anthropology, University of British Columbia, 2017
• M.A., University of British Columbia, 2008
• Licenciado, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 2003

Research Interests:

• Children’s cancer experience and biomedicine
• Palliative care and end-of-life practices
• Humor in clinical settings
• Death, dying, and grief in schools
• Healthcare policy and pandemic responses
• Ethnographic methods in medical institutions

Teaching: Rafael teaches courses on Medical Anthropology, Socio-Cultural Anthropology, and Applied Anthropology, emphasizing critical perspectives on health, biomedicine, and cultural practices.

Publications: His work explores themes like permeable bodies in pediatric oncology, grief in educational settings, and the role of humor in palliative care. Recent contributions include analyses of Argentina’s Hospice movement and critiques of pandemic-era health technologies.

Recognition: He has received awards including the Sessional Lecturer Teaching Award (2022) and multiple research grants supporting fieldwork in Argentina and Canada.

Advisory Role: Co-director of Darío-Iván Radosta’s PhD thesis on Argentina’s Hospice movement (2020–present).

Outreach: Engages in public projects like “Duelo en Escuelas”, addressing grief in educational contexts, and critiques of health policies (e.g., Canada’s pandemic app).