Dr. Charles Thompson

Biography

Charles Thompson is a Professor Practice Emeritus in Cultural Anthropology at Duke University, where he has made significant contributions to critical food studies, particularly focusing on the intersecting themes of food justice and immigration within the contexts of Latin America and the U.S. South. His work encompasses a range of roles, including filmmaker, photographer, oral historian, and writer, and frequently addresses topics such as farmworkers, the U.S./Mexico border, agricultural history, farm foreclosures, and food access. Thompson's research and creative projects seek to illuminate the narratives surrounding immigration and agricultural practices, illustrated in his latest book, "Border Odyssey: Travels U.S./Mexico Divide" (Texas, 2015), which combines ethnography with a memoir-like travelogue of the 2,000-mile border that divides the two nations. His earlier publications include various works on the human cost of food production and the experiences of specific communities, reflecting his ongoing commitment to exploring and documenting the complexities of contemporary agricultural life.

Research Interests