Michael
Paolisso
Michael Paolisso is an assistant professor of anthropology at the
University of Maryland, College Park. His primary areas of interests
are environmental anthropology, cognitive anthropology, research methods,
and gender. His current research focuses on the cultural construction
of environmental issues for the Chesapeake Bay region. More
specifically, he is interested in applying approaches from cognitive
anthropology to understand how Bay area stakeholder groups define
and use concepts such as nature, environment and pollution.
In following this line of inquiry, his recent research has used a
cultural model approach to understand beliefs and values about dinoflagellate
blooms, nutrient runoff, management of the blue crab fishery and the
introduction of non-native oysters in the Chesapeake Bay. In
addition to his Chesapeake Bay research, he has undertaken short-
and long-term fieldwork in numerous countries in Latin America, and
in Kenya, and Nepal. Dr. Paolisso is also co-director of the
Resource Management and Cultural Processes track within the Department
of Anthropology, University of Maryland, which trains students in
the application of anthropological theory and methods to the management
of cultural and natural resources. His publications include edited
volumes, monographs, journal articles and technical reports. He received
his PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles.