Geoff Childs

• Professor of Sociocultural Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis

Professor Childs' research occupies the interdisciplinary space between anthropology and demography. He regularly visits the Tibetan enclaves in northern Gorkha District, Nepal, to study local history, family management strategies, demographic trends, and a host of other topics.

Professor Childs' research occupies the interdisciplinary space between anthropology and demography, and thereby involves the integration of qualitative and quantitative methods. He uses demography as a tool to understand what is happening within a population, for example, to reveal the timing and magnitude of a fertility decline, or to discern patterns of out-migration. He then uses ethnography to gain leverage on what drives these trends, and how they impact the lives of individuals.

Working between a positivistic discipline (demography) whose practitioners prefer to study phenomena that can be measured and quantified, and a reflexive discipline (anthropology) whose practitioners tend to celebrate their innumeracy, poses certain challenges. But those challenges are outweighed by the rewards of stimulating research, collaboration with colleagues across the disciplines, and the ability to publish in professional journals outside of anthropology. Thus far Childs has completed research on four distinct Tibetan societies.

• –present Professor of Sociocultural Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis

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