Dr. Brian Brazeal
Geology and Earth Science
Knowledge Hub
Canada
Biography
Dr. Brian Brazeal has conducted research on the global trade in gemstones since 2007. He has undertaken ethnographic fieldwork at major gemstone mining sites in Brazil, Zambia, Colombia and Mozambique. He has also conducted fieldwork with gemstone traders in Jaipur, Tel Aviv, Bangkok and New York. As an Associate Professor of Anthropology at California State University, Chico, Dr. Brazeal directs the Advanced Laboratory for Visual Anthropology, a facility dedicated to documentary film production. In 2016, he completed a film on the international emerald trade titled, “Illusions in Stone.” His written work has explored has explored the themes of economic ethics, the role of religion in the emerald trade and the legacy of violence around Colombia’s emerald mines.
Research Interest
Geology and Earth Science
