Rachel Newcomb, PhD
Professor of Anthropology
As a professor of Anthropology at Rollins College, Dr. Newcomb teaches courses including Middle East Culture, Cultural Anthropology, Middle East Cinema, Yoga: Mind, Body, Culture, and Food and Social Justice. Her specific expertise is in Moroccan culture, where she has focused on gender issues, legal reform, and immigration. She co-directs the Middle Eastern & North African Studies Minor at Rollins.
Dr. Newcomb also uses anthropological insights to write for the popular media about personal finance and society. Her writing has appeared in publications including Washington Post, USAToday, Architectural Digest, MarketWatch, and MoneyGeek.
Education
BA, History, Davidson College
MA, The Writing Seminars, Johns Hopkins University
MA, PhD, Anthropology, Princeton University
Books
Encountering Morocco: Fieldwork and Cultural Understanding (co-edited)
Articles
Dr. Newcomb’s articles have been published in Washington Post, USAToday, Architectural Digest, MarketWatch, MoneyGeek, Los Angeles Review of Books, Christian Science Monitor, and Foreign Policy.
Courses Taught
ENV 350 Food, Culture, and Environment
This course explores big-picture questions focused on environmental sustainability, the American diet, crop diversity, nutrition, and transparency of the American food system.
ANT 255 Middle East Culture
Explore the everyday lives of people in the Middle East as they negotiate the challenges of globalization, new media, religion, and the legacy of colonialism.
News & Features
February 21, 2024
USA Today Highlights Best Cities in Florida
Rachel Newcomb, a professor of anthropology, shares key findings on Florida cities across 18 metrics.
June 02, 2021
Newcomb Reviews New Book on the History of Home Economics
Anthropology professor Rachel Newcomb’s latest review for The Washington Post uncovers a surprising story.
February 19, 2019
Cool Class: Food & Immigrant Cultures in Central Florida
This Intersession course taught Rollins students that just like there’s more to a recipe than a list of ingredients, there’s more to a population than statistics.