Edward Jolie

Edward A. Jolie is an anthropological archaeologist with broad interests in the Native American archaeology and ethnology of the Americas. Much of his research has focused on the study of perishable (organic) material culture (e.g., string, nets, footwear, baskets, and textiles) to address a wide range of anthropological questions including those that bear on technological innovation and change, social interaction and identities, and population movement. He is particularly interested in the social learning context and cultural transmission of crafting knowledge, and how that informs stylistic patterning in the archaeological record. Recently, Dr. Jolie has been engaged in more hands-on work with fiber plant collection, processing, and weaving, as part of an effort to find solutions to problems posed by landscape change and raw material inaccessibility among contemporary artists. He is presently in the process of re-establishing his Perishable Material Culture Laboratory at the Arizona State Museum. His lab is one of a handful, globally, that specializes in the documentation and analysis of perishable material culture. The lab receives perishable material culture from all over the world for study, and currently it contains multiple items from the United States, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru. Beyond perishable technologies, Dr. Jolie has long held an interest in Native American-Anthropologist relations, repatriation matters, and broader ethical practice within the discipline. Being of mixed Oglala Lakota (Sioux) and Hodulgee Muscogee (Creek) ancestry, and an enrolled citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, he strives to cultivate collaborative relationships and research partnerships with Native Americans and other descendant communities. He has primarily engaged these concerns with students in courses he teaches that bear on the experiences of contemporary Native Americans and those that seek to train students in ethical reasoning. Dr. Jolie is equally focused on 'putting anthropology to work,' and adopting an anthropology-as-tool approach that emphasizes cultivating awareness of, and critical reflection on, a variety of philosophical and religious ethical frameworks to foster greater understanding and appreciation of sociocultural diversity.