Umut Kuruuzum

Umut Kuruuzum is a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Vienna's Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, focusing on war economies, disaster response, and environmental pollution. Previously, he served as an Assistant Professor of Development at İstanbul Technical University and collaborated with organizations like the World Bank and UNICEF to combat child labor and strengthen livelihood resilience. His research explores post-disaster economies in Türkiye, plastic pollution in the Çukurova Delta, and recycling practices in conflict zones.

Education: PhD in Economic Anthropology from the London School of Economics (2018).

Research Interests: Examines how communities navigate material loss and disaster profiteering, particularly through debris recycling and containerized housing. Also investigates the socio-economic impacts of agri-plastics and child labor in agricultural sectors.

Awards: Wenner-Gren Post-PhD Award (2023-2024) for research on plastic pollution. His work integrates documentary filmmaking, including Çukurova’s New Harvest: Plastics and Under the Cover of Night, to highlight environmental and labor issues.

Grants & Consultancies: Led projects funded by the British Council COP26 Grant, ILO, and US Department of Labor. Focuses on policy interventions for sustainable livelihoods and child labor eradication.