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Dan Sayers

Anthropology Wonk

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Cred PhD historical archaeology, College of William Mary; MA anthropology, Western Michigan University; BA philosophy and anthropology, Western Michigan University


Livelihood Professor, anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences


Interests African and indigenous diasporas, resistance, and systemic alienation


Focus The Great Dismal Swamp in North Carolina and Virginia, where thousands of people fled to escape colonialism, indentured servitude, and slavery, from 1600-1860


Recent Awards Four-year, $200,000, “We the People” Collaborative Grant, National Endowment for the Humanities to focus on archaeology, history, and the Great Dismal Swamp


Last Book You Read The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence by Victor Marchetti and John Marks


What Keeps You Up At Night? “Thoughts of self-emancipated enslaved people living in communities five miles in the interior of the Dismal Swamp, be it 1700 or 1850.”


Hobbies “I would say that I exhibit wonkish behavior here and there.”


Are You a Wonk? “If wonk means intellectual voracity, passion, engagement, with a tad of confidence in the face of all the odds, yes.”


Additional Links
AU Profile
Anthropology Department