Caleb Klipowicz is a doctoral student in sociocultural anthropology advised by Dr. Erica Prussing. He graduated from the University of Memphis in 2016 with a Master’s in Applied Anthropology and a concentration in Medical Anthropology.

Caleb’s research interests center on the varied health problems facing Marshall Islanders both in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and in the US. His master’s practicum took place in a public health clinic in Arkansas, where one of the largest populations of Marshall Islanders reside. This project examined the social, cultural, historical, and political economic dimensions of tuberculosis among Marshallese migrants, leading to a formative model that links transnational and historical instances of structural violence with periodic outbreaks of TB. This initial work also brought to light how illness narratives reflect processes of stigmatization and gendered difference, both themes Caleb plans on exploring more in future research. Finally, this project critically assessed the local and state-level public health activities geared towards treating TB in this population.

Caleb plans to build on this prior research through his doctoral studies by studying other efforts to treat Marshall Islanders with tuberculosis around the globe.