Michael M. J. Fischer

Michael M.J. Fischer has done anthropological fieldwork in the Caribbean (Jamaica), the Middle East (Iran), South Asia (India), and the U.S. on social change and religion (Protestants and Afro-Carribean religions in Jamaica; Zoroastrians, Shi'ites, Baha'is, Jews in Iran; Jains and Parsis in India); on bazaars, merchants, craftsmen, and agriculture in Iran, Jamaica, India, and Antwerp; on revolutionary processes in Iran; on cinema in Poland, India, and Iran; on communities of scientists, engineers, and physicians in India and the U.S. He teaches courses on social theory, ethnography, anthropology and film, social and ethical issues in the biosciences and biotechnologies, law and ethics on the electronic frontier. He studied geography and philosophy at Johns Hopkins (B.A. 1967), social anthropology and philosophy at the L.S.E., anthropology at the University of Chicago (Ph.D. 1973). He has taught at the University of Chicago, Harvard, and Rice before coming to MIT, and has served as Dire