Dr. Janni Pedersen
I'm an anthropologist based in San Diego, California. Trained as a biological anthropologist, specifically primatology, at Iowa State University, I now engage in research in both biological and applied cultural anthropology. I served as associate professor and chair of the BA in Cultural Anthropology at Ashford University and have extensive experience in online curriculum development.
Janni Pedersen, Ph.D., MA.
Aug. 2006 - Dec. 2011 PhD. EEB Doctoral programme, Department of Anthropology, Iowa State University
Sept. 2005 MA, Philosophy, University of Aarhus, Denmark
Sept. 2002 – June 2003 Université Paris- Sorbonne, Paris, France
Jan. 2002: BA, Philosophy, University of Aarhus, Denmark
Academic Positions
June 2012- January 2020 Program chair and associate Professor, Ashford University.
Jan. 2008-May 2012 Lecturer, Iowa State University, Department of Anthropology and Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Iowa State University.
October 2011-June 2012 Lecturer, Des Moines Area Community College
Publications
Academic Publications:
Pedersen, J., Sorensen, K., Lupo, B. Marx, L. (2018). Human-Ape interactions in a Zoo-setting: Gorillas and Orangutans modify their behavior depending upon human familiarity. Anthrozoos.
Pedersen, J. (2018). Non-human primates and language, theoretical aspects of: primates raised by humans. In Encyclopedia of Linguistic Anthropology. Wiley.
Pedersen, J (2018). Non-human primates and language, theoretical aspects of vocal communication. In Encyclopedia of Linguistic Anthropology. Wiley.
Pedersen, J. (2016). Apes in Conversation: The Role of the Human Interlocutor. Language and Communication, 50.
Pedersen, J. (2016). Language Evolution: From language module and behaviorism to brains, genes, and the social niche. Proceedings of the Southwestern Anthropological Association, 2015, 9.
Pedersen, J., Segerdahl, P., & Fields, M. W. (2009) Why Apes Point. In (Eds.) Emil Potocki and Juliusz Krasiñsk, Primatology: Theories, Methods, and Research. Nova Science Publishers, New York.
Pedersen, J. & Fields, W. M. (2009) Aspects of Repetition in Bonobo-Human Discourse: Creating Cohesion in a Conversation Between Species. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 43, 22-41.
Monograph:
Pedersen, J. (2012). The Symbolic Mind: Apes, Symbols, and the Evolution of Language. Lampert Academic Publisher.
Conference Presentations:
Changing Traditions and Creation of Heritage: Festivals and Resilience in Panama. Annual Meeting of American Anthropological Association, Vancouver, November, 2019
Celebrating Heritage: Tourism and Festival in Panama. Annual Meeting of Southwestern Anthropological Association, Fresno, California, May 2018.
Will They Come? Intangible Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Economic Policy in Santo Domingo, Panama. Annual Meeting of American Anthropological Association, December, Washington D.C.,2017
Co-Author: Rapid Assessment and the Crucial Role of the Informant. Annual Meeting of American Anthropological Association, December, Washington D.C.,2017
Becoming an Anthropologist Online: Enagegement in the class, the program, and the discipline. Meeting of Society for Anthropology in Community Colleges, April, Boise, Idaho, 2017.
The Ape and You: Ape-Human Relationships in Behavioral and Cognitive Research. Annual Meeting of Southwestern Anthropological Association, San Diego, April, 2016.
Human-Animal Relationships in a Zoo-Setting. Annual Meeting of American Anhropological Association, Denver, CO, November, 2015. With Kathryn Sorensen.
Language Evolution: From language module and behaviorism to brains, genes, and the social niche. Annual Meeting of South Western Anthropological Association, Long Beach, CA, May 2015
Increasing Online Student Pass Rates with Course Embedded Supports: Anthropology 101, a General Education Requirement. WASC ARC, Oakland, CA April 2015. With Mindy Sloan, Elizabeth Grossmon, and Emily Nye. Claire Edwards Chandra Howard, Millie Jones, Michelle Lekkerkerk and Cynthia Lewis co-authors.
Reflections From the Online Classroom: Tools, Challenges, and Advantages in an Online Cultural Anthropology Program
Annual Meeting of South Western Anthropological Association, Orange County, CA., April 2014
Making time for the students: class size and student success. Annual Meeting of American Anthropological Association, Chicago, November 2013
Observer Influence in Primate Communication and Social Studies: Primatology Meets Grice.
Annual Meeting of American Society of Primatologists, San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 2013
Co-author on presentation by Jennifer Barnett: Effect of game conditions on hostile language frequency in video games.
South Western Anthropological Association,San Jose, California, April, 2013
The Symbolic Mind: Acquisition of Auditory and Visual associations by bonobos (Pan paniscus)
Annual Meeting of American Society of Primatologists, Austin, Texas, September 2011
Gricean Maxims in Bonobo-Human discourse :Annual Meeting of Central States Anthropological Society, Iowa City, Iowa, April 2011
Does symbolic competence predict performance of bonobos, Pan paniscus, on match-to-sample task?
Biannual Meeting of International Society of Primatologists, Kyoto, Japan, September 2010
Finding the Same: Matching and Categorization by bonobos, Pan paniscus, in a match-to-sample paradigm
Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference, Ames, Iowa, March 2010
Why Apes Point :Annual Meeting of American Society of Primatologists, San Diego, California, September 2009
Referential Gestures in Language-Competent Bonobos: Iowa Academy of Science, Des Moines, Iowa, 2009
Popular Science:
Fra Grunt til Grammatik ("From Grunt to Grammar") Weekendavisen 16. Nov. 2007
Sidste Bastion Vakler ("Last Bastion is Shaking") Weekendavisen 3. Nov. 2006
Grants and Honors
Collaboration award, Ashford uiversity, 2017
University Fellows Porgram, Ashford University, 2017
University Fellows Program, Ashford University, 2016
University Fellows Program, Ashford University, 2015
University Fellows Program, Ashford Universty, 2013
Excellence in graduate research award, Department of Anthropology, Iowa State University, 2012
Central State Anthropological Society Leslie A. White Award 2011
Central state Anthropologcal Society Student Paper Competition, Best graduate student paper, 2011
Research grant, International Society of Primatologists, 2010
Service
Board Member, Secretary, and Registration Chair, Southwestern Anthropological Association, 2016-present
Research Fellow, College of Liberal Arts, 2013-2020
Assessment Committee, Ashford University, 2013-2016
Institutional Review Board member, Ashford University, 2015
House Of Denmark,Balboa Park, San Diego. Board Member 2017-present