Dr. Andrea Abrams is an American

anthropologist An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...

, Associate Professor, President of the

Association of Black Anthropologists Founded in 1975, the Association of Black Anthropologists (ABA) is an American organization that brings together Black anthropologists in an effort to better highlight the history of African Americans, especially in regard to exploitation, oppres ...

and Author of ''God and Blackness: Race, Gender and Identity in a Middle Class Afrocentric Church''. Andrea is currently an associate professor of

Anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, society, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including archaic humans. Social anthropology studies patterns of behav ...

Gender Studies Gender studies is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to analysing gender identity and gendered representation. Gender studies originated in the field of women's studies, concerning women, feminism, gender, and politics. The field n ...

and

African American Studies Black studies or Africana studies (with nationally specific terms, such as African American studies and Black Canadian studies), is an interdisciplinary academic field that primarily focuses on the study of the history, culture, and politics of ...

Centre College Centre College, formally Centre College of Kentucky, is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, United States. Chartered by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1819, the col ...

in Danville, Kentucky, as well as the Chair of the Gender Studies Program. In 2018, she was named associate vice president for diversity affairs & special assistant to the president, and in 2021 was named vice president for diversity, inclusion, and equity.

Biography

Abrams completed undergraduate studies at

Agnes Scott College Agnes Scott College is a Private university, private Women's Colleges in the Southern United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Decatur, Georgia. The college enrolls approximately 1,000 undergra ...

, earning a B.A. in sociology and anthropology. Continuing on to receive her M.A. in anthropology, a graduate certificate in women's studies, and a Ph.D. in anthropology from

Emory University Emory University is a private university, private research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1836 as Emory College by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory. Its main campu ...

. Andrea Abrams is the President of the

(2017–Present). Abrams previously taught at the

University of Southern Mississippi The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bac ...

, Emory University, Agnes Scott College, and

Spelman College Spelman College is a Private college, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black, Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia ...

Research and publications

Abrams' research focuses on racial an gender issues in the south, specifically studying the discussion and performance of racial identities. Abrams' dissertation work focused on fieldwork in Atlanta,GA, a
First Afrikan Presbyterian Church
observing ways that this church defined blackness, expressed their religion and how this intersected with gender and race. Andrea's book ''God and Blackness: Race, Gender and Identity in a Middle Class Afrocentric Church'' is a product of her research in Georgia, addressing how African American religious institutions build community and create a shared understanding of blackness. Abrams reports directly on the churches members views on issues of blackness, the middle-class, feminism and identity, and how to navigate the tension of these topics as middle Class African Americans. In 2014 Abrams shared her experiences, with Colleague Sarah Murray, of their trip and study in Ghana. Abrams and Murray, through a study abroad program in 2013, have taken students from Centre College to Ghana to study the history, culture and environmental issues of the African country.

Personal

Dr. Andrea Abrams is one of six children born to Reverend Carolyn and Reverend Robert Abrams, originally of

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

. Her siblings include U.S. district judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, Richard Abrams, Walter Abrams, Dr. Jeanine Abrams McLean, a former CDC researcher and voting rights advocate, and

Stacey Abrams Stacey Yvonne Abrams (; born December 9, 1973) is an American politician, lawyer, voting rights activist, and author who served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017, serving as minority leader from 2011 to 2017. A member ...

, a lawyer, politician, and voting rights advocate.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abrams, Andrea Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Centre College faculty Agnes Scott College alumni Emory University alumni 21st-century American anthropologists