This week, the China Studies Program held a retirement reception for Professor Stevan Harrell, who has taught at the University of Washington since 1974. Holding appointments in Anthropology and Environmental and Forest Sciences, Prof. Harrell’s specialization has distinguished those departments, as well as China Studies, as leaders in global research on ethnic minorities in China. Prof. Harrell will be retiring at the end of the 2016-2017 academic year.
Prof. Harrell has made trailblazing contributions to the study of kinship networks in Taiwan, and ethnicity, ethnic relations, environmental sustainability, and community development in Sichuan, especially in its ethnic minority regions. He has supervised a great number of Ph.D. students across various disciplines who have subsequently gone on to make significant contributions in their fields.
At the reception, Prof. Harrell’s fellow faculty members and students reflected on his accomplished academic career. A knowledgeable scholar and engaging speaker, he had truly made an impact on the lives of everyone in attendance. During the first week of August, Prof. Harrell’s Ph.D. students in Anthropology will hold a conference in honor of his work. It will include current and former students of Prof. Harrell, who will discuss topics including demographics, ethnic minorities, and the environment in China. We look forward to continuing the celebration of Prof. Harrell’s storied career.