Kristin Yarris is an assistant professor in the Department of International Studies and is affiliated with the Center for Latina/o and Latin American Studies, the Center for the Study of Women in Society, and the Center for Global Health. Yarris’s teaching broadly addresses the political-economic and social-cultural determinants of health and the relationship between population health and development processes in contemporary global contexts.
Yarris has developed innovative courses, adding to the breadth and depth of curricula offered by the Department of International Studies. One of her areas of expertise is transnational migration, focusing on the Americas. Yarris creatively and critically examines representations of the circulation of Central American and Mexican migrants through what she describes as a zone of transit in western Mexico. Another research area focuses on psychiatry, mental illness, and mental health care in Mexico. She studies the social determinants of health and well-being and the cultural shaping of illness and distress in different global locations.
Students and colleagues admire Yarris’s energy and dedication. One student writes: “Kristin Yarris is an incredible professor. Her passion for global health is inspiring and it is evident that she wants students to succeed and love global health as much as she has.”
In recognition of her achievement and expertise in the area of global health, Kristin Yarris is a recipient of a 2017 Ersted Award for Specialized Pedagogy.