MA grad Emma Abell-Selby published part of her MA thesis in Human Organization

"On the Frontlines: Anthropological Reflections of Grocery Store Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic"

During the COVID-19 pandemic, grocery store workers experienced physical and psychological distress, as well as having expanded social roles, greater responsibility, and unpredictable work schedules (Cai et al. Citation2021). Because of increased demand, grocery store workers became pressured to keep working despite the increased exposure to the virus (Cubrich Citation2020). These positions are typically filled by people of color (including members of the Latine population), migrants (Adler and Bhattacharyya Citation2021), and women who became subject to pay cuts and a high workload during the pandemic (Cubrich Citation2020). In the multiple case study that follows, I examine the lived experiences among women grocery store workers from Latin America during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emma Abell-Selby is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Anthropology at the University of South Florida, and received her MA In Anthropology from SFSU. Her research interests focus broadly on the intersection between policy, power, and academic practices within higher education. Emma is currently working on a project examining the teaching practices of university instructors with the passing of anti-diversity legislation in the state of Florida.