Vice Chair, Department of World Arts and Cultures (WAC)

Roberts joined the faculty of WAC in 1999 and was named vice chair last summer to direct the new M.A./Ph.D. program in culture and performance. He holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in anthropology from Amherst College.

What is your most treasured possession?
As someone who researches and teaches about art and material culture, I have plenty of excuses to collect stuff. Many wonderful things end up in The Weirdorium, as our back bathroom/exhibition space is called. But I'm also a sentimentalist, so I suppose my most treasured possessions would be family photos extending back to the mid-19th century.

Who are your favorite writers?
My all-time favorite writing is Jun'ichiro Tanizaki's "In Praise of Shadows," Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness," Victor Turner's "Betwixt and Between" and Gaston Bachelard's "The Poetics of Space."

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Having three mind-bogglingly great kids.