معرفی
Rebecca Graff is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Lake Forest College, specializing in historical archaeology with a focus on 19th- and 20th-century US urban sites. She holds a PhD and MA from the University of Chicago and a BA from UC Berkeley. Her research explores modernity, material culture, and heritage politics, particularly through Chicago’s World’s Fairs, urban development, and architectural landmarks like the Charnley-Persky House and Mecca Flats. She has led excavations at historic sites such as the Haymarket Martyrs’ Monument and the Edith Farnsworth House.
- Education: PhD (2011) and MA (2001) in Anthropology, University of Chicago; BA (1999), University of California, Berkeley
- Affiliations: Lake Forest College, DePaul University, University of Chicago, Michigan Technological University
Her research emphasizes the intersection of archaeology, heritage, and modern consumption. Key projects include analyzing Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair garbage (published in Disposing of Modernity) and excavating sites tied to Black history and urban renewal. Her work has been supported by grants from the NEH, Mellon Foundation, and others.
Awards: Kathleen Kirk Gilmore Dissertation Award (2013), William L. Dunn Award (2018), and multiple teaching/scholarship stipends from Lake Forest College.
Teaching: Courses include Archaeological Field Methods, Historic Artifact Analysis, and Mapping Chicago. She directs archaeological field schools and integrates public outreach with her research.
Her labs and teams collaborate on projects such as the City Beyond the White City virtual exhibit and excavations at Armour Flats. She actively engages with local heritage initiatives and media, appearing in Chicago Magazine and Block Club Chicago.
