In Remembrance of Jennifer Jackson

We mourn the passing of our brilliant young colleague Jennifer Jackson. We were extraordinarily fortunate to bring Jennifer into our faculty in 2011. Her theoretical and empirically substantive book, Political Oratory and Cartooning: An Ethnography of Democratic Processes in Madagascar (2013) touched broad domains of anthropological scholarship in the department and across the field. Her eye-opening insights into the language of American politics were featured in national media. Jennifer transformed the classroom into an engaging forum where undergraduates used anthropological concepts to make sense out of contemporary social and political dramas. The nationally charged incident around the death of Trayvon Martin, for example, was vivified in Jennifer’s classroom through an analysis of the word “hoodie” as a potent signifier. Among advanced students Jennifer opened up a world of ideas related to the politics and globalization of language practices and the semiotics of public engagement. Just as important Jennifer will be remembered for her devotion to each student’s aspirations, always providing wisdom and encouragement.

The UCLA Department of Anthropology has established the Jennifer Jackson Student Support Fund to assist the research endeavors of students in anthropology.   Should you wish to contribute to this fund, please make your check payable to the UCLA Foundation, noting Jennifer Jackson Student Support Fund on the memo line. Please send your gift to the attention of Lisa Mohan at UCLA College of Letters and Science, 1309 Murphy Hall, Box 951413, Los Angeles, CA 90095.