Dr. Chika Watanabe

Biography

Chika Watanabe is a Senior Lecturer in Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester. She received her PhD in anthropology from Cornell University in 2013 and subsequently held a Postdoctoral Associate position at the Inter-Asia Program at Yale University from 2013 to 2014. Her research focuses on development, emergency relief, and non-governmental organizations with a particular interest in international aid from both academic and practitioner perspectives. Watanabe co-leads a project with fellow anthropologists on the concept of 'patchwork ethnography,' which aims to bridge the gaps between professional and personal lives in knowledge production. She has conducted ethnographic research in Japan and Chile, analyzing disaster preparedness and resilience among different populations, including children and older adults. Watanabe is also a recipient of the Humanities Outstanding Teaching Award for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022 and has taught various courses on Anthropology, Development, and Humanitarianism. Her approach combines innovative teaching methods and emphasizes the relevance of anthropological analysis in understanding contemporary development issues.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards