Current PhD students

Cristian Erazo is a PhD student in Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews. He holds a BA in Anthropology and an MRes in Social and Political Studies from Universidad Icesi (Colombia). His doctoral research focuses on ethnographically exploring how indigenous and non-indigenous actors perform formal and informal roles of brokerage in the Putumayo region of Colombia’s Amazon, skilfully navigating between and working across local communities, state institutions, and NGOs involved in a scenario of growing and varied state and non-state social interventions.

Lucrezia Milillo’s doctoral research aims to further our understanding of Andean khipus – colorful knotted cords for record keeping. Combining ethnographic fieldwork to the study of museum specimens through the practice theory framework, her research will provide new insights on the significance of colour and materials used in the production of Andean khipus. Lucrezia holds a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and an M.A. in History and Anthropology at the University of Bologna (cum laude). Here, she studied collection, provenance and morphology of Andean khipus in Italian collections.

Yichi Zang. My research project investigates the emotional lives of the Chinese community in Kingston, Jamaica, focusing on the intersection of migration, racial dynamics, and urban space. The community is divided into two main groups: mixed-race Chinese Jamaicans and newly arrived Chinese migrants. Little attention has been given to their affective experiences of urban inhabitation. The newer migrants, in particular, experience self-imposed confinement due to fear and discrimination towards Afro-Jamaicans, whom they refer to as ‘black ghosts.’  This research further explores how these emotions influence their everyday interactions within the Kington’s various social spaces.

Daniela Rodríguez Neira’s doctoral research aims to explore how dance serves as a medium for cultural expression, identity reinforcement, and fostering a sense of belonging among Afromexican communities in Oaxaca and Veracruz, Mexico. Through a dance-centred ethnography, this research seeks to explore and analyse the significance of dance for the community and how it relates to broader aspects of their lives, including economic, social, and political dimensions. She is a PhD student in Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews. She is also a professional dancer with over 10 years of experience in Latin styles and street dance.