Dr. Roderick Campbell

Biography

Rod Campbell is an archaeologist and historian focusing on the Chinese Bronze Age, particularly the Anyang period (ca. 1250-1050 BCE). His research encompasses themes such as theorizing violence among early complex polities, historiography, visual culture, and the ancient economy. Campbell held multiple post-doctoral appointments and graduated from Harvard with dual degrees in anthropology (archaeology) and East Asian Languages and Civilizations (Chinese history). His academic journey includes associations with the Institute for the Study of Ancient World at New York University, Joukowsky Institute at Brown University, and Merton College at Oxford University. He has received numerous grants and fellowships from various sources, including the Canadian Social Sciences Research Council, Luce-ACLS, Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation, and the Wenner Gren Foundation. His publications include 'Archaeology of the Chinese Bronze Age' and 'Violence in Civilization' (edited, Joukowsky Institute, 2014), as well as 'Violence and Kinship in the Early Chinese State: The Shang World' (Cambridge, 2018). He has published articles in 'Current Anthropology' and has conducted extensive studies on topics including the Shang ontology and early Chinese economies. His fieldwork consists of a network of archaeological collaborations across regions and site types in China, aimed at reconstructing Shang political economy, currently focused on zooarchaeology and bone working.

Research Interests