Dissertation: Food, Species, and the Structuring of Kenya-China Relations
As China develops its diplomatic efforts across the African continent and much of the developing world, new diaspora communities are putting down roots in cities like Nairobi. My research examines how global narratives of China-Africa relations structure and are structured by the lived experiences of Chinese expatriates and Kenyan citizens working together in food industries. I find food and race to be especially pertinent issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. With its hypothesized origin in a wildlife market in Wuhan, China, the novel coronavirus has sparked anti-Asian sentiments all over the world. My research examines what this means for Chinese food imports, markets, and restaurants in Kenya.
Other Work: The Problem of Goat Meat in Vermont
Why don’t Vermonters eat more goat meat? While goat cheese enjoys a booming local market, goat meat is rarely consumed outside of small ethnic minority communities in the Burlington area. Most of these consumers import their goat meat from Australia and New Zealand, even as local goat farmers are euthanizing their male kids. My research explores the political, economic, and cultural forces that shape this unusual industry, and perpetuate the unpopularity of goat meat in White American diets.
