Peter Benson, Ph.D., stands as a leading voice in cultural anthropology, renowned for his insightful explorations into the intersections of culture, capitalism, and social theory. His academic journey encompasses teaching roles across esteemed institutions, currently at the University of Delaware, where he imparts his knowledge through courses covering a diverse range of subjects including culture, film, capitalism, social theory, and ethnography.
Dr. Benson’s foundation in anthropology was solidified with a Ph.D. in social anthropology from Harvard University in 2007. Prior to his current position, he enriched his academic experience as a postdoctoral fellow in the Program in Agrarian Studies at Yale University. He then spent over a decade shaping minds and contributing to the field as a faculty member in the anthropology department at Washington University in St. Louis. This rich background has cemented Peter Benson’s position as a respected and influential figure in his field.
His latest book, Stuck Moving: Or, How I Learned to Love (and Lament) Anthropology (2023), published by University of California Press, marks a bold and innovative turn in ethnographic writing. Part of the “Atelier” series, this work is described as a “literary and conceptual experiment” that provocatively rethinks anthropological methodology. Departing from conventional fieldwork and the study of ‘other cultures’, Peter Benson embarks on a deeply personal and autobiographical exploration of anthropology itself. This candid and often humorous introspection offers a critical lens on the culture of academia and, by extension, contemporary society. Intriguingly, Benson frames this intellectual journey as a unique kind of love story, adding another layer to its already multifaceted nature.
Previously, Peter Benson’s research extensively investigated the intricate relationship between corporate capitalism and global commodity chains. A significant focus of this work is on how corporations impact health across various dimensions – from consumer behavior and individual health choices to broader environmental health concerns and labor practices. Dr. Benson has notably scrutinized these dynamics within the global tobacco industry. His scholarship delves into “corporate social responsibility” (CSR) strategies employed by industries dealing in harmful products, and their real-world consequences for communities, particularly in agrarian regions. A key contribution of Peter Benson has been to advocate for a fundamental shift in how we understand tobacco and nicotine policy. He argues for moving beyond a narrow focus on the smoker as an “informed consumer” or “patient.” Instead, he urges a more critical and nuanced analysis that considers industrial agriculture and the pervasive influence of corporate power as significant forms of structural violence, environmental degradation, and labor exploitation. This extensive research culminated in his acclaimed book, Tobacco Capitalism: Growers, Migrant Workers, and the Changing Face of a Global Industry, published by Princeton University Press in 2012. This groundbreaking work garnered significant recognition, including the 2013 Delmos Jones and Jagna Sharff Memorial Prize for the Critical Study of North America from the Society for the Anthropology of North America, the annual book prize from the Southern Anthropological Society, and finalist status for book awards from numerous other academic organizations, solidifying Peter Benson’s reputation as a leading scholar in this area.
Earlier in his career, Peter Benson’s research explored the evolving agrarian livelihoods, social dynamics, and concepts of citizenship among Kaqchikel Mayas in the Guatemalan highlands. This research resulted in the book, co-authored with Edward F. Fischer, Broccoli and Desire: Global Connections and Maya Struggles in Postwar Guatemala, published by Stanford University Press in 2006. This book exemplifies the commodity chain approach, demonstrating how tracing the “social life of things”—in this case, fresh vegetables—across geographical and cultural boundaries can reveal critical power imbalances and disparities in lived experiences. By tracking the global broccoli trade from small Guatemalan farms to U.S. supermarket produce aisles, the book draws connections between affluent consumers in the global north, concerned with health, nutrition, organic food, and fair trade, and Maya farmers striving for improved lives in the aftermath of a protracted armed conflict. Broccoli serves as a point of entry for a broader examination of the social construction of power and desire across different levels and within evolving frameworks of international trade and the starkly unequal worlds inhabited by consumers and producers. Peter Benson’s work consistently highlights these crucial global linkages.
Select Publications
- 2020 Tobacco Reconsidered: Ongoing Omissions, Original Outlooks in the Slipstreams of Experience, Global Health, and Critical Industry Studies. Annual Review of Anthropology 49: A1-A5 (with Matthew Kohrman).
- 2019 Natural Beauty. Journal for the Anthropology of North America 22(2): 90-92.
- 2018 Tobacco Capitalism, an Afterword: Open Letters and Open Wounds in Anthropology. Journal for the Anthropology of North America 21(1): 21-34.
- 2017 Big Football: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Culture and Color of Injury in America’s Most Popular Spectator Sport. Journal of Sport & Social Issues 41(4): 307-334.
- 2014 Corporate Paternalism and the Problem of Harmful Products. PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review 37(2): 218-230.
- 2014 Year in Review, Public Anthropology, 2013: Webs of Meaning, Critical Interventions. American Anthropologist 116(2): 379-389.
