Social

Biography

James (Jamie) G. Huff Jr. received his Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from American University (Washington, DC) in 2004, and worked as Associate Professor of Anthropology at Vanguard University (2002-2014) prior to his faculty appointment to the Human Needs and Global Resources Program at Wheaton College. His scholarly interests focus on international and rural community development, religion in Latin America, faith-rooted social movements and non-government organizations (NGOs), and comprehensive community initiatives. He also has an interest in the pedagogy of study abroad programs and cross-cultural learning. His writing examines the changing religious landscapes of contemporary Latin America, with a particular focus on the social and economic changes generated by the rapid growth of Pentecostal-charismatic forms of Christianity across the region. For the past decade he has regularly conducted ethnographic fieldwork in El Salvador where he has documented the involvement of Pentecostal churches in community-based development projects. As an applied anthropologist, Dr. Huff has worked with various NGOs and community-based organizations to evaluate the effectiveness of their programs to alleviate poverty and strengthen human well-being and community resiliency. Since 2008 he has worked collaboratively with the staff of a Christian non-profit organization (ENLACE) to implement evaluation studies that assess the impact of local development initiatives on the social, economic and physical well-being of rural communities across El Salvador.

Education (2)

American University, Washington, DC: Ph.D., Philosophy in Anthropology

South California College, Costa Mesa, CA: B.A., Cultural Anthropology

Areas of Expertise and Research Interests (6)

Community & International Development

Religion in Latin America

Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Central America

Pedagogy in Higher Education

Program Evaluation

Accomplishments and Awards (3)

Faculty of the Year (professional)

Vanguard University 2014

Faculty of the Year (professional)

Vanguard University 2012

Junior Faculty of the Year (professional)

Vanguard University 2006

Professional Affiliations (5)

• American Anthropological Association
• Society for Latin American Anthropology
• Society for Applied Anthropology
• American Evaluation Association
• Council on Undergraduate Research

Links (1)

• HNGR (Human Needs and Global Resources)

Languages (1)

• Spanish

Presentations and Event Appearances (3)

Presenter: ’Measuring’ the impact of faith in community development: Can anthropological theory help evaluation practice?

Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association  San Francisco, CA, Nov 2012

Organizer: Creative Praxis and Productive Tension at the Intersection of Anthropology and Evaluation

Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association  San Francisco, CA, Nov 2012

Presenter: Novel social imaginaries and Pentecostalized Development in rural El Salvador

Comparative Christianities Conference, Department of Anthropology  University of California, San Diego, May 2012

Academics and Published Research (1)

Research Experience

- 2014 Consulting Contributor, Informe de la Linea de Base - La Labor. Entidad Natural Latinoamericano de Cooperación Estratégica (ENLACE). San Salvador, El Salvador - 2013 Consulting contributor, Informe de la Linea de Base - Chantusnene. Entidad Natural Latinoamericano de Cooperación Estratégica (ENLACE). San Salvador, El Salvador - Fall 2009 Principal Investigator, Baseline field research & household surveying, Las Delicias, El Salvador - Fall 2008 Principal Investigator, Baseline field research & household survey, Abelines, El Salvador - Summer 2007 Principal Investigator, Two-month fieldwork project in Las Delicias, El Salvador - All year 2000 Principal Investigator, One-year fieldwork project in San Salvador, El Salvador - Summer 1998 Principal Investigator, One-month fieldwork project in San Salvador, El Salvador - Spring 1995 Principal Investigator, Senior thesis project, Vanguard University

Grants and Fellowships (5)

Academic Technology Grant

Wheaton College 

2016

Gary L. Taylor Faculty Development Grant

Vanguard University 

Course release for completion of manuscript of edited volume 2011

Fulbright Scholar Award

Universidad Centroamericana, José Simeón Cañas, El Salvador 

2009

Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Grant

Wenner-Gren Foundation 

Anthropological Research Grant for conducting original dissertation fieldwork in El Salvador. 2000

The Bryan S. Smith Institute Scholarship

Southern California College 

Scholarship for dissertation research in El Salvador 2000

Select Articles, Chapters, Reviews, and Other Publications (4)

Practicing Lament to Teach for Justice: Reflections from a Survey Course

Christian Higher Education: An International Journal of Research, Theory, and Practice

James Huff

2018

Of Specters and Spirit: Neoliberal Entanglements of Faith-Based Development in El Salvador

Urban Anthropology and Studies of Cultural Systems and World Economic Development. Special Issue: The Impact of State-Level and Global-Level Neoliberal Agendas on NGOs in Latin America

James Huff

2017

Pentecostal Socialities and Transforming Rural El Salvador

In “Global Renewal Christianity: Spirit-Empowered Movements Past, Present and Future, Volume 2: Latin America,”

V. Synan, A. Yong and M. Alvarez, editors

2015

Pentecostalized Development and Novel Social Imaginaries in Rural El Salvador

Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology

James Huff

2014