CV
CURRICULUM VITAE
Prepared July 2, 2009
Deborah S. Akers
Office address:
Department of Anthropology
164 Upham Hall
Miami University
Oxford, Ohio 45056
Phone: (513) 529-8399
e-mail: akersds@muohio.edu
Education
Anthropology, Ph.D. The Ohio State University, 2001
Law, J.D. Capital University Law School, 2001
Anthropology, M.A. The Ohio State University, 1992
Middle Eastern Studies, M.L.S. The Ohio State University, 1987
Arabic, B.A. The Ohio State University, 1980
Professional Employment
| 2009-present | Assistant Professor Department of Anthropology. Miami University. Oxford, Ohio. |
| 2008 | Lecturer Department of Anthropology. Miami University. Oxford, Ohio. |
| 2003-2008 | Visiting Assistant Professor Department of Anthropology. Miami University. Oxford, Ohio. |
| 2002-2003 | Lecturer Department of Anthropology. The Ohio State University. Columbus, Ohio. |
| 2001-2002 | Adjunct Professor College of Arts and Sciences. Columbus State University. Columbus, Ohio. |
Areas of Specialization
Applied Anthropology
Human rights, culture conflict and conflict resolution
Political Islam, tribal identity
Buddhism, meditation, health and mental health, PTSD
Geographic Areas
Middle East (Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Gulf); Central and South Asia (Afghanistan, Tibet, and Northern India)
Teaching Experience: Courses
1. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
2. Introduction to Physical Anthropology
3. Introduction to Archaeology
4. Introduction to the Modern Middle East
5. Culture Conflict in Third World Countries
6. Women’s Issues in Third World Countries
7. Cultural Diversity
8. Introduction to Anthropology (Four Fields)
9. Cultural Diversity in the United States
10. Peoples of Tibet
11. Peoples of the World
12. Applied Anthropology
13. Independent Studies
14. Independent Reading for Department Honors
Curriculum Development
1. Beyond the Field Experience: Processing Cultural Adjustments (with H. Sidky)
2. Cultural Diversity in the United States – Honors preparation
Fieldwork Experience
| 2008-2009 | Ethnographic research on globalism, modernity and tribal identity in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. |
| 2007-2009 | Ethnographic research on the effects of meditation practice on women with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Columbus, Ohio. |
| 2007-2008 | Ethnographic and library research on social anthropology in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. |
| 2007 | Ethnographic research on Thai Buddhist meditation practices and breathing techniques for the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Thailand. |
| 2005-2007 | Ethnographic research with Tibetans in Dharamsala, northern India. Tibetan Buddhist meditation practices and Tibetan traditional medical practices. |
| 2006 | Ethnographic research with Tibetans in Dharamsala, northern India. Tibetan Buddhist meditation practices and Tibetan treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. |
| 2004 | Ethnographic research with Australian Afghan aborigines, Alice Springs, Australia. |
| 1995-1998 | Ethnographic research on tribal identity and social structure in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. |
Field Schools
| 2005- 2008 | Co-director/student advisor for “People and Culture of Tibet” summer workshop taught in Dharamsala, India. |
| 2004 | Co-director/student advisor to for “Aboriginal Culture of Australia” summer workshop taught in Australia. |
Archival Research
| 2005 | Literature review of Buddhism, spirituality, and meditation and their effects on physical and mental health, Central Tibetan Administration Library, Dharamsala, India. |
Grants
External–Funded
| 2009 | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Culture and Information. “Globalization in Saudi Arabia: The Paradox of Change.” total $25,000) |
| 2007-2009 | Ohio Department of Mental Health for a project titled “Treatment of Trauma Survivors with Prolonged History of Interpersonal Abuse: Effects of Meditation Practice on Clients’ Mental Health Outcomes” (with Mo-Yee Lee and Amy Zaharlick) (Co-Principal Investigator). (total $98,000) |
| 2007- 2008 | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Culture and Information. “Social Anthropology of Saudi Arabia” (total $40,000) |
| 2007- 2008 | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Culture and Information. “Social Anthropology of Saudi Arabia” (total $15,000) [additional funding] |
| 2006 | Ahmad Badib Foundation. “Oranges in the Sun: Contemporary Short Stories from the Arabian Gulf.” (total $10,000) |
Grants
External–Pending
| 2009 | NIMH R34 “Meditation Practice and Treatment of PTSD of Female Trauma Survivors of Interpersonal Violence” (PAR-07-315) (total $450,000) PI: Lee; co-investigator D. Akers, A.Zaharlick |
| 2009 | NIH “Meditation Practice and Brain Imaging: Neurobiological impact on cognitive control and emotion regulation”(06-AG-109) (total $450,000) PI: Lee; Co. PI: William Cunningham; co-investigator D. Akers |
| 2009 | NIH “Examining the efficacy of mindfulness and compassion/lovingkindness meditation on emotional responses of female trauma survivors: An fMRI investigation” submitted in response to RFA-OD-09-003, Challenge Area 06: Enabling Technologies, and Challenge Topic 06-AT-101* Imaging correlates of brain states. ) (total $450,000) PI:Lee; Co. PI: William Cunningham; co-investigator D. Akers |
Publications
Books, monographs, collections
- Akers, Deborah S. and Abubaker Bagader (trans. and eds. autobiography of Ahmed Saba’i.). My Days in Mecca. 2009. Boulder (CO): Lynne Rienner Press.
- Akers, Deborah S. and Abubaker Bagader (trans. and eds.). Oranges in the Sun: Short Stories from the Persian Gulf. 2008. Boulder (CO): Lynne Rienner Press.
- Bagader, Abubaker, Ava Heinrichsdorff, and Deborah S. Akers (trans. and eds). Saudi Arabi ki Qalam Kar Khwateen Ki Natakha Kahanea 2008. Karachi, Pakistan. (Urdu translation of Voices of Change).
- Bagader, Abou Baker A. and Deborah S. Akers (trans. and eds.). Histoires D’Arabie Saoudite. 2007. Beirut, Lebanon: Centre International pour les Services Culturels. (translation into French by Bagader of Saudi narratives compiled by Akers and Bagader)
- Bagader, Abubaker and Deborah S. Akers (trans. and eds.). They Die Strangers: Selected Works by Abdel-Wali. 2001. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press.
- Akers, Deborah S. The Tribal Concept in Urban Saudi Arabia. 2001. Ph.D. Dissertation at The Ohio State University.
- Bagader, Abubaker, Ava Heinrichsdorff, and Deborah S. Akers (trans. and eds). Voices of Change: Short Stories by Saudi Arabian Women. 1998. Colorado Springs: Three Continents Press (Lynne Rienner Publishers).
Book Chapters
- Akers, Deborah S. “The Kuttab: An Anthropological Perspective on Traditional Education in Mecca during the Early 20th Century.” In My Days in Mecca. 2009. Boulder (CO): Lynne Rienner Press. (pp. 7-15).
- Lee, Mo Yee, Amy Zaharlick and Deborah S. Akers. “Meditation and Treatment of Trauma Survivors.” In Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit Social Work: An Eastern Holistic Approach Toward Transformation and Harmony. M. Y. Lee, S. M. Ng, P. Leong, and C. Chan, eds. 2009. New York: Oxford University Press. (pp.275-289).
- Akers, Deborah S.“The Short Story in the Arabian Gulf: Its Origin and Development.” In Oranges in the Sun: Contemporary Short Stories from the Arabian Gulf. 2008. Boulder (CO): Lynne Rienner Press. (pp.1-14)
- Sidky, H., and Deborah S. Akers. Afghanistan.” In People and Cultures of Southeast and Central Asia. R. Scupin, ed. 2005. Prentice Hall. (pp 14-102)
Articles
- “Fishing Lifeways in Arabia.” Journal of the Saudi Arabian Natural History Society 3(96): 7-15. 1994.
- “Pastoralism in the Arabian Peninsula.” Journal of the Saudi Arabian Natural History Society 3(5): 21-42. 1992.
- “Pearling in Arabian Waters.” Journal of the Saudi Arabian Natural History Society 3(4): 15-26. 1992.
Encyclopedia Entries
- Akers, Deborah S. “Saudi Arabia.” Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices: Thomas Riggs (ed.).2006. Detroit, MI: Thomson Gale. (pp. 295-302)
- Akers, Deborah S. “Qatar.” Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices: Thomas Riggs (ed.). 2006. Detroit, MI: Thomson Gale. (pp.236-240)
Invited Book Reviews
- Akers, Deborah S. Saudi Arabia. In The Middle East Studies Association Bulletin, Spring, 2007.
- Akers, Deborah S. The Road to Mecca. In Haj Magazine. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Volume 59, Issue 5 November, 2002.
- Akers, Deborah S. The Hajj: The Muslim Pilgrimage to Mecca and the Holy Places. In Haj Magazine. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Volume 59, Issue 5. October, 2002.
- Akers, Deborah S. Pilgrimage to Mecca: The Indian Experience 1500-1800. In Haj Magazine. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Volume 58, Issue 4. September, 2002.
- Akers, Deborah S. Applying the Canon in Islam: The Authorization and Maintenance of Interpretive Reasoning in Hanafi Scholarship. In Haj Magazine. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Volume 57, Issue 4. August, 2002.
- Akers, Deborah S. Applying the Canon in Islam: The Authorization and Maintenance of Interpretive Reasoning in Hanafi Scholarship. In Al-Ijtihad: Journal of the Humanities. Beirut, Lebanon (in Arabic). 2002.
- Akers, Deborah S. From Rags to Riches: A Story of Abu Dhabi. In Middle East Studies Association Bulletin, Spring, 2000.
- Akers, Deborah S. Debating Muslims. In Al-Ijtihad: Journal of the Humanities. Beirut, Lebanon (in Arabic).Spring, 2000.
- Akers, Deborah S. Calligraphic States. In Al-Ijtihad: Journal of the Humanities. Beirut, Lebanon (in Arabic). Spring, 2000.
- Akers, Deborah S. Divorce and the Libyan Family. In Al-Ijtihad: Journal of the Humanities. Beirut, Lebanon (in Arabic). Spring, 1998.
Published Abstracts
- Lee, Mo Yee, A. Zaharlick and D. S. Akers. Treatment of Trauma Survivors: Effects of Meditation Practice on Clients’ Mental Health Outcomes. In: New Research in Mental Health, Vol. 18. Columbus, Ohio: Ohio Department of Mental Health.
Under Review
- Akers, Deborah S., Mo Yee Lee and Amy Zaharlick, “Breathing Meditation: A Cross-Cultural Intervention for Women with PTSD” Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work.
- Lee, Mo Yee, A. Zaharlick, Deborah S. Akers, “Meditation and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Utilizing Clients’ Strength” Journal of Clinical Social Work.
Manuscripts in Preparation
- Akers, Deborah and Abubaker Bagader, Narrative Ethnographies of Meccan Women (oral narratives and life histories collected from informants through ethnographic interviews.) [invited proposal from Lynne Rienner Press]
- Akers, Deborah and Abubaker Bagader, Folktales from Western Arabia (collected from informants through ethnographic interviews, including a subset of stories taken from original literary Arabic sources) [under review University of Texas Press]
- Lee, Mo Yee, D. Akers and A. Zaharlick (co-authored), Meditation and PTSD [invited proposal from Oxford University Press]
Notes
- Akers, Deborah and Abubaker Bagader 133 articles translated/edited for the Khaleej Times. Dubai, Arab Emirates. 1998-2001
- Akers, Deborah and Abubaker Bagader 60 articles translated/edited for the Saudi Gazette. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.1998-2000
Video projects
- Akers, Deborah, “Tibetan Healers,” and “The State Oracle.” Co-produced student faculty video project in Dharamsala, India. Summer 2005.
PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
| 2009 | Lee, Mo Yee, Amy Zaharlick and Deborah Akers, “Effects on Meditation Practice on Mental Health Outcomes of Trauma Survivors: A small randomized control trial.” Presented at Society for Social Work and Research. Jan. 17th. New Orleans, Louisiana. |
| 2008 | “The Concept of Nagas in Human Environment Interactions: a Tibetan explanation for Scleroderma.” Presented at Central States Anthropological Society. March 29. |
| 2008 | Session organizer, chair: “Tibetan Encounters” Central States Anthropological Society. March 27-29. |
| 2007 | “Meditation and PTSD.” Presented at Central States Anthropological Society. April 12. Minneapolis, Minnesota. |
| 2007 | Session organizer, chair: “Mind Body Healing Practices” Central States Anthropological Society. April 12. Minneapolis, Minnesota. |
| 2006 | “Tibetan State Oracle.” Presented at Central States Anthropological Society. April 8. Omaha, Nebraska. |
| 2006 | Session organizer, chair: “Tibetan Experiences in Northern India” Central States Anthropological Society. April 8. Omaha, Nebraska. |
| 2005 | “From Kashgar to Mekkah: The Hajj and Transnational Linkages.” Presented at 6th Central Eurasian Studies Society. September 29 – October 2. Boston, Massachusetts. |
| 2004 | “Faith Healers in the Himalayas: The Jhankri of Nepal.” Presented at The 7th Conference of International Society for Shamanic Research. August 21-24. Changchun, China. |
| 2004 | “Afghan Aboriginal Muslims in the Outback.” Central States Anthropological Society. April 17. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. |
| 2004 | Co-Chair of Session: “Encounters in the Australian Outback: Aboriginal People in the Twenty-First Century” Central States Anthropological Society. April 17. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. |
| 2003 | Chair of Session: “State Building in Central Asia” Middle East Studies Association. November 21 Anchorage, Alaska. |
INVITED LECTURES/PRESENTATIONS
| 2007 | Co-speaker at the press event “Journey to Wellness” with Geshe Kalsang Damdul at Palm House, Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus, November 7. Event sponsored by Amethyst, Inc.; College of Social Work and Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University; Department of Anthropology, Miami University. |
| 2005 | “Afghan Women Speak: Conflict Mitigation and Social Reconstruction.” The Ohio State University. November 16-19. Columbus, Ohio. |
| 2004 | The Rand Corporation Workshop. Invited workshop on political organization in Saudi Arabia. October 15. Washington D.C. |
| 2004 | “Tribes: Understanding Tribal Dynamics in Saudi Arabia.” The Rand Corporation Workshop. June 18. Washington D.C. |
| 2004 | “Women’s Self-Immolation in Post Taliban Afghanistan.” U.S. Congress, American-Afghan Relations Caucus Meeting. March 25. Washington, D.C. |
| 2002 | Roundtable Session: “Reverse Hajj: Wahhabism in Xinxiang, China.” The Beijing Ethnological Institute. March 2. Beijing, China. |
Professional Memberships
American Anthropological Association
Middle Eastern Studies Association
Member of the Central States Anthropological Society
