معرفی
Ruth Behar is a Cuban-born anthropologist and author currently serving as the Victor Haim Perera Collegiate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Michigan. Her work combines ethnographic research with humanistic storytelling to explore themes of identity, immigration, and the search for home in global contexts. She is affiliated with the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies and has contributed extensively to anthropological literature and public scholarship.
Behar earned her B.A. in Letters from Wesleyan University and M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from Princeton University. Her research spans Spain, Mexico, and Cuba, with a focus on cultural memory, Jewish diaspora, and emotional ethnography. Her publications reflect interdisciplinary approaches, blending anthropology with memoir, poetry, and visual narratives.
Her most recent and historically significant works examine diasporic identity through memoir and ethnography, with key contributions to understanding migrant experiences across generations. Awards include the
- MacArthur Fellowship
- Guggenheim Fellowship
- Fulbright Senior Fellowship
- Wesleyan Distinguished Alumna Award
- Honorary Doctorate from Hebrew Union College
- 2025 Newbery Honor for 'Across So Many Seas'
Behar’s career demonstrates a commitment to bridging academic and creative writing, with a focus on giving voice to marginalized communities through ethnographic storytelling and poetic expression.
