The 2026 Anthro-History Symposium includes three panels reflecting the state of the field(s) across three conceptual problems in Anthropology and History. Each panel is organized by current Anthro-History students and will feature three Anthro-History alumni presenting on their research. We hope to provide an opportunity for lively discussion across generations of Anthro-Historians and with the broader U-M community, and would welcome your participation. This year’s symposium is generously endowed by Professor Sally C. Humphreys, who advocated for critical interdisciplinary scholarship throughout her academic career as an ancient historian.

Program

Friday, February 6
5:00 pm: Opening Remarks
Pamela Ballinger (University of Michigan) and Edward Murphy (Michigan State University, '07)

Saturday, February 7

9:30-11:30 am: Value: Money Moves: Labor, Migration, and Financial Technologies
Organizers: Amelia Burke, Colin Garon, Simon Rakei (University of Michigan)
Panelists: Kevin Donovan (University of Edinburgh, '19), David E. Pedersen (University of California, San Diego, '04), Andrea Wright (William & Mary, '15)

12:30-2:30 pm: Authority: Contesting Religious/Secular Temporalities & Authorities
Organizers: Amir Marshi, Kai Ngu (University of Michigan)
Panelists: Ismail Fajrie Alatas (New York University, '16), Roxana Aras (New York University, ‘24), Amir Syed (University of Virginia, ‘17)

2:45 PM-4:45 PM: Temporality: The Archive is Not Enough: Oral Histories and Embodied Memory
Organizers: Oto Gulbani, Talitha Pam, Daniel Varela (University of Michigan)
Panelists: Paul K. Eiss (Carnegie Mellon University, ‘00), Bruno Renero-Hannan (State University of New York at Geneseo, ‘19), Emanuela Grama (Carnegie Mellon University, ‘10)