Dr. Sunil Khanna

Anthropology Department
Associate Professor
Office: 204 Waldo Hall
Phone: 541/737-3859
Email: skhanna@oregonstate.edu

Ph.D.	Anthropology, Syracuse University	1995
Ph.D.	Anthropology, University of Delhi	1988
M.Sc.	Anthropology, University of Delhi	1984
B.Sc.	Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, India	1982

• Teaching
• Selected Publications

 

Sunil Khanna (PhD in Anthropology, Syracuse, 1995 & PhD in Biological Anthropology and Human Genetics, University of Delhi, 1988) is a medical anthropologist interested in examining the complex interrelations of biology, culture, gender, ethnicity, and health in South Asia and the US. He uses diverse yet complementary field techniques such as ethnographic research and qualitative methods, microdemographic survey, and nutritional anthropometry in his research studies. His most recent research project in India addresses perhaps one of the most contentious and sensitive transnational issues, namely, the availability and use of new reproductive technology for the purpose of prenatal sex determination and practices of sex selection in urbanizing north India. You can read more about his research in his book Fetal/Fatal Knowledge: New Reproductive Technologies and Family-Building Strategies in India (Cengage/Wadsworth, 2009).

Teaching

Dr. Khanna teaches introductory and specialized undergraduate/graduate courses and graduate seminars in physical and cultural anthropology. Having undergone intensive training in classroom teaching at Syracuse University, which has one of the best Teaching Assistant (TA) Programs in the country, Dr. Khanna incorporates multidisciplinary perspectives, qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis, and interpretation techniques, promoting and employing a "numbers and narrative" approach. His students learn to identify "real life" issues and their linkages to academic training.

Undergraduate-Level Courses
Anth 240	From Ape to Angel (Introduction to Physical Anthropology and Human Evolution)
Anth 345	Biological and Cultural Constructions of Race
Anth 380	Cultures in Conflict
Anth 316	Peoples and Cultures of South Asia
Graduate-Level Courses
Anth 542	Human Biology
Anth 545	Human Biology Lab
Anth 574	Cross-Cultural Health and Healing
Anth 575	Theory of Culture
Anth 593	Statistical Applications
Anth 595	Research Design

 

Selected Publications

Books/Textbooks

 

2009 Fetal/Fatal Knowledge: New Reproductive Technologies and Family-Building Strategies in India, Cengage/Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, CA.

2007 Study Guide: Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective (by Gary Ferraro), Wardsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, CA (7^th ed; online publication).

2005 Study Guide: Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective (by Gary Ferraro), Wardsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, CA (6^th ed.).

2003 Study Guide: Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective (by Gary Ferraro), Wardsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, CA (5^th ed.).

Articles/Book Chapters

2009 "Traditions and Transformations: Emerging Son Preference Attitudes among Nayars of Kerala." In Son Preference in India: Patterns and Consequences, ed. S. V. Shekha, (co-authors: Sudha Shreeniwas, S. Irudaya Rajan, and Roma Shrivastava). Indian Institute of Population Studies, Mumbai. (under review)

2009 "Cultural Competency in Health Care: Evaluating the Outcomes of a Cultural Competency Training among Health Care Professionals." Journal of National Medical Association (co-authors: Melissa Cheyney and Molly Engle). (under review)

2009 "Promoting Applied Scholarship for Tenure and Promotion." Consortium of Practicing and Applied Anthropology Program (co-authors: Nancy Romero-Daza, Sherylyn Briller, and Linda A. Bennett), (available online at http://www.copaa.info/resources_for_programs/Tenure%20and%20Promotion%20for%20Applied%20Anthropologists.pdf).

2009 "New Reproductive Technologies and Family Building Strategies in Urban India: Converging Trends in Two Culturally Distinct Communities." Contemporary South Asia, (co-authors: Sudha Shreeniwas and S. Irudaya Rajan Irudaya). (accepted for publication, Volume 17)

2007 "Is Son Preference Emerging among the Nayars of Kerala in South India?" In Watering the Neighbor's Garden, eds. I. Attane and C. Z. Guilmoto, Committee for International Cooperation in National Research in Demography, Paris, pp. 267-294, (available online at: http://www.cicred.org/Eng/Publications/pdf/BOOK_singapore.pdf), (co-authors: Sudha Shreeniwas and S. Irudaya Rajan).

2006 "Cultural Competency: Recommendations for Studying Up." Anthropology News 47(4):3.

2006 "Is Son Preference Emerging among the Nayars of Kerala?" In Female Deficit in Asia: Trends and Perspectives, eds. I. Attane and C. Z. Guilmoto, CEPED, (publication available at: http://www.cicred.org/), (co-authors: Sudha Shreeniwas, S. Irudaya Rajan, and Roma Shrivastava).

2004 "Community Health Workers and Home-Based Care Programs for HIV Client." Journal of National Medical Association 96, No. 4, pp. 496-502, (co-author: Becky A. Johnson).

2004 "Jats." In Encyclopedia of Medical Anthropology: Health and Illness in the World's Cultures, eds. Carol R. Embers and Melvin Embers, vol. 2, pp. 777-783. 

2001 "Shahri Jat and Dehati Jatni: The Indian Peasant Community in Transition." Contemporary South Asia 10(1): 37-53.

2001 Pahari Jatni: Marriage, Networks, and Gender Ethnicity in an Urbanizing Jat Village in North India. The Anthropologist 2(4): 11-19. 

1999 "Distribution of Birth Weight in an "Affluent" Population in New Delhi, India". Acta Medica Auxologica 31(2): 75‑85 (co-author: Helen Vallianatos).

Project Reports, Project Reviews, and Training Manuals

2005 Cultural Competency in Health Care: Training and Evaluation Module (CD-ROM with Study Guide). Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation.

2002 Genetics and Public Health in Oregon: A Summary of Assessment Methods and Findings. Report prepared as member of the Oregon Genetics Plan Advisory Council, Oregon Department of Human Services.

2001 Options for Universal Health Coverage in Oregon: A Focus Group Study (Phase II). Report submitted to Oregon Health Plan Research Office.

2001 Options for Universal Health Coverage in Oregon: A Focus Group Study (Phase I). Report submitted to Oregon Health Plan Research (OHPR) Office.

2000 Governor's Racial and Ethnic Health Task Force Report. Report submitted to the Office of the Governor, State of Oregon.

Book Reviews

2009 Food and Culture: A Reader (Carole Counihan and Penny Van Esterik, eds.). Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 48(2).

2007 Reproductive Health in India: History, Politics, and Controversies (Sarah Hodges, ed.). Journal of Asian Studies, 66(4):1195-1197.

2007 All You Need to Know About Action Research (Jean McNiff and Jack Whitehead). In Virtual Ethnography (eds. Daniel Domínguez, Anne Beaulieu, Adolfo Estalella, Edgar Gómez, Rosie Read & Bernt Schnettler), 8(3).

2007 All You Need to Know About Action Research (Jean McNiff & Jack Whitehead). Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 8(3), Art. 8.

2006 Tribal Health and Medicine (A.K. Kalla and P.C. Joshi, eds.). Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 20(2): 268-270, (co-author: Satish Kedia).

2004 Understanding Yourself, Understanding HealthCare (Richard Saul Wurman, ed.).

2004 Realized Religion: Research on the Relationship between Religion and Health (Theodore J. Chamberlain and Christopher A. Hall). Journal of the National Medical Association 96(6) (June).

2003 I Speak for the Dead (Joye M. Carter). Journal of the National Medical Association, 95 (12): 1228.

2003 Parish Nursing: Stories of Service and Care (Verna B. Carson and Harold G. Koenig). Journal of the National Medical Association 95 (11): 1117-1118.

2001 Climates and Constitutions: Health, Race, Environment and British Imperialism in India, 1600-1850 (Mark Harrison), Contemporary South Asia, 10(3):415-416.

2001 Sex Ratio Patterns in the Indian Population: A Fresh Exploration (by Satish B. Agnihotri). Contemporary South Asia, 10(2): 273-274.

2001 Tans-Himalayan Caravans: Merchant Princes and Peasant Traders in Ladakh (Janet Rizvi). The Journal of Interdisciplinary History,XXXII (2): 346-347.

1999 Population, Gender, and Politics: Demographic Change in Rural North India (Roger Jeffery & Patricia Jeffery). Journal of Interdisciplinary History, XXX (2); 378‑379.

Media Releases

2008 OSU Signs Agreement with India's MAMTA Organization, OSU This Week (March 6, 2008).

2007 Mentoring Advice from OSU Faculty, Center for Teaching and Learning; (available online at: http://oregonstate.edu/ctl/video_onid/sunil_khanna.htm).

2007 High-tech Pipeline in Reverse, The Oregonian (5/13/2007).

2007 "A Broken Cradle." India-West, March 2007, San Leandro, CA.

2007 Sex-selective abortion issues in India needs a "culturally relevant" approach. The Indian Star, New York (3/17/2007; http://www.theindianstart.com).

2007 OSU Researcher: Sex-selective abortion issue in India needs a "culturally relevant" approach. News and Communication Services, Oregon State University (3/15/2007).

Ongoing Research Projects

• Cultural Competency Training for Health Care Providers: An Evaluative Study Corvallis, Oregon

This ongoing study is an evaluation of a cultural competency training workshop for health care providers. The workshop focuses on examining the role culture plays in health care delivery and utilization. The intended use of the evaluation is to learn participants' opinions and usefulness of the information presented at the workshop. I plan to use the results to design better training modules and to apply for external funding for research on measurable outcomes of cultural competency.

• Health Literacy in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD): Phase I

This ongoing study investigates the level of health literacy in new ESRD patients participating in PreRenal Education Program (PrEP) training at the Samaritan Dialysis Services center. The specific aims of the study are to:

1. assess the level of health literacy in PrEP participants by using S-TOFHLA (Short version of the Test of Functional Literacy in Adults);

2. collect relevant demographic and socio-economic data on patients participating in PrEP; and

3. collect and analyze patient feedback on the relevance of PrEP curriculum educating the patient about ESRD management and treatment.

The long-term goal of the study (Phase II) is to test different versions of PrEP curriculum and education materials for their effectiveness in improving the knowledge and health status of ESRD patients. Based on the results of Phase I investigation, we plan to submit application for additional funds to measure the effectiveness of appropriately worded information at the correct reading level on the concrete changes in treatment and/or disease progression in dialysis patients.

• Cultural Competency for Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs)

The purpose of the study is to assess whether cultural competency training measurably improves patient-provider communication and reduces health disparities. The study answers the following specific questions:

1. Does cultural competency training of Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) result in improved knowledge, attitudes, and skills relating to the care of patients from diverse backgrounds?
2. Does cultural competency training of CNMs result in improved pre and perinatal health outcomes among mothers and children under their care?
3. Does cultural competency training of CNMs result in reduced perceptions of discrimination among their patients?
4. The study will use data from three sources - self-reported changes in knowledge, attitudes, and skills among CNMs as assessed through a tested and validated post-then-pre outcomes survey; pre and perinatal health outcomes of CNMs' patients; and experiences and opinions of CNMs' patients as assessed by exit interviews.

• Son Preference and New Reproductive Technologies in Urban India

This ethnographic study examines the use of New Reproductive Technologies (NRTs) in two middle-income but culturally distinct regional groups in India, one North Indian and the other South Indian. The two groups are considered in the literature to be two extremes in the socio-cultural spectrum underlying son preference, but have never been explicitly contrasted on the basis of ethnographic data. The study will answer the following research question from a cross-cultural comparative perspective -- How urban experience, exposure to and acceptance of state-sponsored family planning policies, and increased availability of NRTs and abortion services cause convergence of previously distinct kinship regimes and family organization in two socio-economically similar but culturally distinct communities, leading to a similarity in preference for male children, and means taken to realize their preference?

PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS

2008-Editor-in-Chief, Ecology of Food and Nutrition
(http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/03670244.html)

2005-Consortium of Practicing and Applied Anthropology Programs
(http://www.copaa.info/)