معرفی
Robert J. Foster is a Professor of Anthropology and Visual & Cultural Studies at the University of Rochester. He holds the Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor title and has received the Goergen Award for his teaching. His primary affiliation is with the Department of Anthropology, and he is a core faculty member in the Graduate Program in Visual and Cultural Studies. Foster has held visiting positions at institutions such as the Australian National University and Cambridge University.
His research focuses on social theory, nationalism, globalization, and commodity networks, particularly in Papua New Guinea and Melanesia. Key projects include studies on the P.G.T. Black Collection, the moral economy of mobile phones in the Pacific, and corporate social responsibility. He has authored influential books like Materializing the Nation and The Moral Economy of Mobile Phones.
Foster’s recent articles analyze mobile phone infrastructure in Papua New Guinea, digital imaginaries in the Pacific, and the historical role of brands like Coca-Cola. His work bridges ethnography with critical theory, addressing themes of citizenship, value creation, and global capitalism.
- Awards: Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor, Goergen Award
- Grants: Australian Research Council (DP140103773), Mellon Foundation, NEH
- Labs/Initiatives: Lewis Henry Morgan Bicentennial Project, Tracking Globalization book series
