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| Leah Zani (Picture by Rachel Zilberg) |
It has been said by several (applied and research) anthropologists that one can do just about anything with an anthropology degree. The work of public anthropologist, author, and poet Dr. Leah Zani (they/she) exemplifies that point. Today’s blog post is dedicated to discussing the burgeoning career of this dynamic scholar and humanitarian.
Dr. Leah Zani earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Anthropology at Lewis and Clark College. They followed this up by earning both her Master’s and Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of California-Irvine. They focused her graduate research on Lao and Hmong populations who were ultimately displaced due to the traumatic events of the Vietnam War. They investigated issues related to trauma both during and after the war, as well as battlefield reclamation, military waste, and intergenerational trauma. Her research took her directly to Laos as well as throughout the United States where they worked with and communicated directly with her cultural informants. Her work has been integral in helping individuals who (due to Trump administration policies) were being forcibly deported back to Loas and other Asian countries. Individual who were deported risked being jailed or executed as traitors due agreements they had entered with the US military in exchange for their assistance during the Vietnam War. There were additional issues wherein individuals who were born and raised in the United States were also being forcibly deported to countries they had little to no connection to. Her research led her to testify to the US Congress in 2013.
Zani’s work has earned her various awards and accolades. Between 2012 to 2015 they held a position with the University of California-Berkley’s Human Right Center in partnership with the Mines Advisory Group. They also served as an Ambassador for the Scholar Rescue Fund, an organization that helps displaced scholars rebuild their lives in new locations throughout the US. Between 2018 and 2022 they held the Human Rights Seat for the American Anthropological Association. In this position they were responsible for helping to compose the Association’s 2020 Human Rights Statement, among various other related duties. Zani was the Poetry Editor at Anthropology and Humanism from 2018 to 2021. Their work has been widely published in various peer-reviewed journals, and several of their creative non-fiction and poetry pieces have been awarded prizes. Their book, Strike Patterns, won the Independent Publisher Book Award Gold Prize for Creative Nonfiction in 2023, and their poem titled, “Bomb Children,” won the Ethnographic Poetry Prize from the Society of Humanistic Anthropology.
Currently, Zani works as an independent consultant, writer, and poet. They are a consultant for Communitology, a consulting firm that aids with refugee and immigration matters. Zani also runs their own independent newsletter, The Powder Press, wherein they write about issues related to political and social issues. They continue to be dedicated to their humanitarian work, particularly through creative endeavors such as writing and poetry.
Works Cited
Zani, Leah. "Contact: Leah Zani." 2024. Communitology. Electronic. 6 December 2024.
—. Leah Zani. 2023. Electronic. 6 December 2024.
—. The Powder Press. 2024. Electronic. 6 December 2024.
2 comments:
After reading the blog post I realized that Dr. Leah Zani's career was a great influence and a great example of how anthropology can be applied and used in diverse ways. Being able to blend academic research with activism and creative writing shows the power of their work addressing global humanitarian issues. I find it really important that their research has helped real policy discussions and support for poor or displaced communities. Their hard work towards human rights, advocacy, and storytelling makes them great scholar and humanitarian.
After reading this post, I am truly inspired by the impactful work of Dr. Leah Zani. Her career beautifully shows how versatile and meaningful an anthropology degree can be. It’s incredible how she used her research to advocate for displaced Lao and Hmong communities affected by the Vietnam War and even testified before Congress. I also appreciate how Dr. Zani bridges academia and creativity through poetry and writing, making complex social issues accessible to a broader audience. Her dedication to humanitarian work, from consulting to editing and publishing, shows the many ways anthropologists can make a real difference. Dr. Zani’s career is a powerful reminder of how anthropology can be applied to fight for justice and human rights.
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