"The Wall" and Other Walls in Contemporary American Life

Anand Pandian, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Johns Hopkins University

The idea of a southern border wall was in many ways the defining idea of Donald Trump's victorious presidential campaign. What was so appealing about his idea to so many Americans, and how did this promise resonate with other walls and boundaries already at work in everyday American life? These questions are at the heart of a new book project that Pandian is pursuing in far-flung corners of the United States, in the company of ordinary people from diverse walks of life. This talk shares stories and insights gleaned from this anthropological examination of contemporary America.

Co-Sponsored: the Departments of Visual Arts; Political Science; Sociology, Anthropology, Health and Administration and Policy; and the Dresher Center for the Humanities.

Photo Credit: Marshall Clark

Reception to follow