Adrian Hearn

Professor Adrian Hearn serves as Professor in Latin American Studies in the Department of Spanish and Latin American Studies within the School of Languages and Linguistics, Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne. An accomplished anthropologist, he earned his PhD in Anthropology from La Trobe University in 2004 and his BA in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999. His earlier career includes roles as an ARC Future Fellow and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Sydney from 2008, as well as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Technology Sydney from 2005 to 2008. Hearn's research centers on the cultural challenges and opportunities emerging from international relations, with a particular emphasis on the geopolitical implications of China's deepening diplomatic and economic ties with Latin America and Australia. Employing an ethnographic approach, he investigates food systems change, community development in relation to global processes, the role of Chinatowns as political and economic bridges to mainland China, and issues of civil society, religion, and political transformation in Cuba. He has conducted extensive fieldwork, including four years in Cuba, one year each in Senegal, China, and Mexico.

Hearn's scholarly contributions include influential books such as Cuba: Religion, Social Capital, and Development (Duke University Press, 2008), Diaspora and Trust: Cuba, Mexico, and the Rise of China (Duke University Press, 2015), and Food System Intermediaries: Bonding and Bridging in China, Latin America, and Australia (MIT Press). Key articles encompass "Harnessing the Dragon: Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs in Mexico and Cuba" (The China Quarterly, 2012) and "Afro-Cuban Religions and Social Welfare: Consequences of Commercial Development in Havana" (Human Organization, 2004). His work has earned recognition through awards including the Dean's Award for Community Partnerships in 2024 and a faculty-in-residence appointment in Cuba in 2024, as well as grants such as the University of Melbourne Inter-Faculty Incubator Grant (2019-2021). Hearn actively engages in public initiatives, developing the Yoruba Heritage Virtual Tour in partnership with Melbourne's Yoruba community, creating the interactive 360-degree film "Who is Nature?" with Cuban collaborators, and leading urban farming and multicultural music projects inspired by experiences in Havana, Rio de Janeiro, and Melbourne. These efforts underscore his impact on bridging academic research with community partnerships across continents.

Professional Email: a.hearn@unimelb.edu.au