Ragnhild Utheim

Ragnhild Utheim is the Director of the School of Liberal Studies and an Associate Professor of Global Studies and Anthropology at Purchase College, State University of New York. Her research focuses on the anthropology of mass incarceration, youth justice, prison studies, and education anthropology. She holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the Graduate School and University Center, CUNY, and a BS from Hunter College (CUNY).

Education:
- PhD in Cultural Anthropology, CUNY Graduate Center
- BS, Hunter College, CUNY

Research Interests:
- Anthropology of mass incarceration and prison systems
- Restorative practices in youth justice
- Combined classroom pedagogy (prison and external students)
- Globalization and social inequality
- Environmental anthropology

Teaching and Research:
Since 2008, she has taught in the Bedford Hills College Program at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, pioneering 'inside-out' classes. Her current research explores the impact of combined classrooms on civic engagement and institutional dynamics. She is also engaged in international public health work, including a multi-country study on women’s reproductive rights.

Awards:

• Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching
• Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service
• Topol Faculty Development Award

Presentations:
She has presented widely on prison education, abolition pedagogy, and social justice, including at conferences such as the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) and the Eastern Sociological Society (ESS).

Future Work:
Her upcoming publications include The Right to Know (NYU Press) and Soft Science Sustainability (SUNY Press), furthering her exploration of carceral systems and educational equity.