Wesley Nielson, MA

wnielson@citruscollege.edu

Wesley Nielson has been a professor of anthropology for over ten years. As a first-generation college student, Professor Nielson began his studies at Chaffey College. Early in his college career, he became fascinated with anthropology and went on to continue studying the discipline at California State University, Fullerton, where he received both his bachelor of arts and master of arts in anthropology. While earning his bachelor's degree, he trained in all four fields of anthropology and cultivated his passion for cultural anthropology. The sub-field would later become the focus of his research during his graduate program. His master's thesis investigates the symbols of the culture of martyrdom present in Sri Lanka and in West Asia (the Middle East) and examines the socio-political context in which suicide terrorism and the community that supports their actions emerge. His other current areas of interest include the modern human's understanding and interaction with wilderness, the sub-culture of adventure enthusiasts, and the connection of food and self-identity.