News

The Society for Anthropological Sciences Carol R. Ember Book Prize 2025 was awarded to Manvir Singh for Shamanism: The Timeless Religion.

Manvir Singh combines ethnography with cross-cultural analysis and insights from the cognitive sciences to explain why shamanic practices reliably emerge across human societies. He shows that shamanism endures as a powerful, recurrent cultural form because it taps into universal psychological mechanisms while adapting to diverse historical and social contexts.

Marisol de la Cadena was awarded the 2024 Vega Medal from the Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography. (Photo Courtesy of Marisol de la Cadena)

• by Greg Watry
• January 07, 2025

An internationally renowned UC Davis anthropologist recently received one of the field’s highest honors.

AES is delighted to announce this year’s Senior Book Prize joint winners, Adriana Petryna and Suzana Sawyer, and honorable mention, Gilberto Rosas.

2024 Prize Committee: Daromir Rudnyckyj (University of Victoria, chair), Sameena Mulla (Emory U), and Brandon Hunter-Pazzara (Georgetown U)

The University Medal is awarded for excellence in undergraduate studies, outstanding community service, and the promise of future scholarship and contributions to society.

Read more about Brooke here: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/fictional-adventure-egypt-become-reality-top-uc-davis-graduate

The Department is honored to have won awards from the California State Senate and Legislature for fostering and maintaining a family friendly workplace environment
 

Professor Joseph has won the 2024 Constantine Panunzio Distinguished Emeriti Award for her copious and influential research and service post-retirement. Only one person in the 10 campus UC system receives this award each year.
 

Professor Smith has won an award from the Association for Africanist Anthropology for his book, The Eyes of the World
 

Professor Smith has won an award from the Society for the Anthropology of Work for his book, The Eyes of the World
 

Professor Kahn will lead a five-day Advanced Seminar (with Professor Sharad Chari, UC Berkeley Geography) entitled "An Oceanic Anthropology for the Near Future", with additional support from the Wenner-Gren Foundation.