Invisible Anthropologists Engaged Anthropology in Immigrant Communities

The NAPA Bulletin series is dedicated to the practical problem-solving and policy applications of anthropological knowledge and methods. It is a publication of the National Association for the Practice of Anthropology, published in partnership with the American Anthropological Association.

Alayne Unterberger began her career as a bilingual outreach worker and clinical social worker. Since becoming interested in research 15 years ago, she has worked in diverse communities, with an emphasis on Participatory Action Research, community building and facilitated change. Her geographic areas of work include the United States, Puerto Rico,Mexico, and Nicaragua. Since 2002, she has served as the executive director of the Florida Institute for Community Studies (FICS), a not-for-profit organization that works with multicultural and disenfranchised communities across Florida. She holds a Ph.D. in medical anthropology from the University of Florida. She is a former coeditor of the NAPA Bulletin series and has served as the student representative on the NAPA Board of Directors. Her work includes binational health status research, family planning, HIV/AIDS/STD prevention, gender studies, migration, immigration, policy analysis, social marketing, and youth development. Her current research interests include historical treatment of immigrants in the United States, the role of science in evidence-based prevention programs, and safety issues in social networking sites.