Jean Hunleth

About the Author

Jean Hunleth is an anthropologist and associate professor at Washington University in St. Louis, where she explores the intersections of childhood, health, and social dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa. Her research delves into how children navigate caregiving roles amid global health crises, drawing from extensive fieldwork in Zambia to illuminate the resilience and agency of young people in vulnerable communities. In her acclaimed book, Children as Caregivers: The Global Fight against Tuberculosis and HIV in Zambia (Rutgers Series in Childhood Studies), Hunleth challenges conventional narratives by centering children's voices in the fight against infectious diseases. Through rigorous ethnography and compassionate storytelling, she advocates for policies that recognize children's contributions, bridging academic scholarship with real-world impact on global health equity.