Christopher Fennell

Chris Fennell is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Law at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, specializing in historical anthropology. His research projects address aspects of African-American cultural heritage and the dynamics of social group affiliations among African Americans and European Americans in the eighteenth through twentieth centuries. These research initiatives include the development of interpretative frameworks focusing on diaspora studies, regional systems theories, theories concerning social group identities, norms and social networks, ethnic group dynamics and racialization, and the stylistic and symbolic analysis of material culture. Chris was a practicing attorney for several years in Washington, D.C. in the areas of antitrust, contracts, product liability, torts, false claims, and securities disputes. He has also taught at the University of Virginia, Roosevelt University, Texas State University, and the University of Texas Law School. In addition to teaching anthropology, archaeology, landscape analysis, and African diaspora studies, he offers interdisciplinary courses in anthropology, law, and social norms.