Ellen M. Burstein

I’m a researcher and writer interested in the intersections of health, governance, culture, and migration. I’m currently a MSc candidate in Migration Studies at the University of Oxford, where I research how UK-based humanitarian organizations challenge normative asylum discourses. I hold an MPhil in Medical Anthropology (dist.) from the University of Oxford and a BA in Anthropology, with minors in Government and French, from Harvard University.

I’ve published research and reporting on topics ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to young Americans’ mental health. I’m interested in how bureaucratic institutions govern health outcomes; the relationship(s) between immigration regimes and health systems; declining social trust and its implications for public health; and the ethics and norms of care and its relationship to social governance.

I’m also a runner, cellist, film photographer, and lifelong Red Sox fan. You can find me on LinkedIn or reach out to ellenburstein@gmail.com if you’d like to connect.