Bio

Dina M. Asfaha is a William Fontaine Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, completing her doctorate in anthropology.

Her research interests include: medicine and medical expertise; political anthropology; economic anthropology; the study of science, technology, and innovation; infrastructure; African studies; and the Horn of Africa.

In her dissertation, Dina focuses on the underground hospital established during the Eritrean Armed Struggle for Independence against Ethiopia (1961-1991), how it laid the foundation for contemporary healthcare in the country, and how Eritreans refer to their clandestine habitat as a means of articulating national aspirations today.

Dina holds a BA in Africana Studies from Barnard College of Columbia University, and an MA in Oral History from Columbia University in City of New York.