Lauren Miller Griffith, Ph.D.
I am an assistant professor of anthropology at Texas Tech University. I joined the
faculty in 2016 and teach courses in cultural anthropology, anthropological theory
and method, Latin America, performance, and tourism. Please email me or schedule a
meeting with me at the following site if you would like to discuss my research or
teaching interests:https://drgriffith.youcanbook.me/
Education
I received my Ph.D. (2010) and my M.A. (2008) degrees in cultural anthropology from Indiana University. My B.A. in anthropology was awarded at Texas A&M University (2003).Research
My research takes an interdisciplinary approach to tourism, embodiment & performance
in Latin America and the U.S. My first book, In Search of Legitimacy: How Outsiders
Become Part of the Afro-Brazilian Capoeira Tradition (Berghahn Books, 2016), examines
the Afro-Brazilian martial art capoeira and its international practitioners. I coined
the term “apprenticeship pilgrimage” to describe the journeys non-Brazilian capoeiristas
make to Brazil as a way of alleviating anxieties about their ability to embody a foreign
cultural tradition.Apprenticeship Pilgrimage is also the focus of a second book that
I am currently working on with co-author Jonathan Marion. My writings have also appeared
in the Journal of Sport and Tourism, Annals of Tourism Research, and Theatre Annual.
More recently, I have begun researching how tourism affects communities in Belize.
I am interested in things like how tourist demand for eco-friendly accommodations
influences local subsistence practices. I am also continuing my inquiry into the nature
of authenticity by looking at tourists' perceptions of heritage tourism attractions
in small Maya communities. As a faculty member at Texas Tech, I look forward to bringing
students with me to assist with these investigations.
Contact Information
My office is Holden Hall 275. Although I do hold regular office hours, I can best meet your needs if you schedule a meeting in advance and let me know what you wish to discuss. You can schedule a meeting with me at the following website: https://drgriffith.youcanbook.me/My email address is <lauren.griffith@ttu.edu>
My mailing address is:
Lauren M. Griffith
Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Social Work
Texas Tech University
Box 41012
2500 Broadway Avenue
Lubbock, TX 79409-1012
Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work
-
Address
Holden Hall 158, Box 41012, 1011 Boston Ave., Lubbock, TX 79409 -
Phone
806.742.2400 -
Email
athena.baumann@ttu.edu