معرفی
Rahul Oka is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Notre Dame, affiliated with the Keough School of Global Affairs, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, and Eck Institute for Global Health. His work bridges economic anthropology, refugee studies, and historical analysis of trade networks. He holds a PhD from the University of Illinois Chicago and the Field Museum of Natural History, and a BA from Lawrence University.
Education:
- PhD (2008): Joint program in Anthropology, University of Illinois Chicago & Field Museum
- BA (2000): cum laude in Anthropology and Biology, Lawrence University
Research focuses on trade systems in disaster economies, refugee-host interactions, and the socio-political impacts of migration. He has conducted fieldwork in Kenya, India, South Sudan, and Serbia, collaborating with organizations like the World Bank, UNHCR, and USAID. Key projects include analyzing refugee impacts on Turkana County and studying the resilience of trader networks in conflict zones.
Publications include Refugee Impacts on Turkana Hosts (2016) and articles in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Social Science and Medicine, and Economic Anthropology. He has secured over $2 million in grants from NSF, USAID, and others. His work addresses global challenges like poverty, inequality, and the biocultural effects of displacement.
Advising includes mentoring PhD students in anthropology and global health, with a focus on refugee resilience and biomarkers of stress. Current projects explore adaptive resilience in business networks and the political economy of refugee integration.
