Doctoral Students

Alex Posecznick

Program: Ph.D. Applied Anthropology

Degree: M.P.A., M.A., A.B.D.

Research Interests: Practices and consequences of meritocracy; inclusion/exclusion in polities of practice; the anthropology of higher education; educational policy and practice; educational credentialism.

Geographical Interests: Contemporary North America

Personal Website: www.columbia.edu/~ap2112

Presentations and Publications:
Book Review (forthcoming): “Fertilizers, Pills, and Magnetic Strips: The Fate of Public Education in America, by Gene V. Glass.” Anthropology and Education Quarterly (40:2), Fall 2008.

“How to Pour a Bottle of Water: Performance and Evaluation at a College Engineering Competition.” 29th Annual Ethnography in Education Research Forum, University of Pennsylvania, February 2008.

“How to get in to College: On the (Im)Possibility of Movement in America.” Invited Presentation in Graduate Course, Topics in Culture and Education (Professor Hervé Varenne), Teachers College: Columbia University, New York, New York, December 2007.

“Explorations in the Theory of Education: Anthropological Perspectives.  A special issue of the TC Record edited by Dr. Hervé Varenne.”  Moderator, Discussant and Master of Ceremonies.  Journal Launch and Panel, Teachers College Society for Anthropological Studies, Teachers College: Columbia University, New York, New York, April 2007.

“Engineering Success: Movement and Continuity within Communities of Practice.” 105th Annual Conference, American Anthropological Association, San Jose, California, November 2006.

“The Education of Engineering Students.” Invited Presentation in Graduate Course, Topics in Culture and Education (Professor Hervé Varenne), Teachers College: Columbia University, New York, New York, November 2005.

Awards:
Wenner-Gren Dissertation Fieldwork Grant.  For “College Admissions in America: An Ethnographic Study.” (May 2008).

Betty Fairfax Professional Development Fund Grant, Teachers College, Columbia University.  For “Engineering Success: Movement and Continuity within Communities of Practice.” (November 2006).