Publications and Presentations
I am excited to be building a consistent, collaborative, and interdisciplinary program of research! Although my main focus is independent, anthropological work on the Michigan child welfare system, I have also done substantial work relating to HIV in Kenya and Michigan and completed a passion project on gyms. I have also been fortunate to be a part of several interdisciplinary collaborations with fields like psychology, social work, gerontology, dentistry, criminology (see Mentorship), and labor studies (see Public Scholarship). Don't forget to check out my Public Scholarship page to learn more about the accessible communication pairings I often partner with my solo projects!
Scholarly Publications
Last Updated: October 20, 2026
| Citation | Access |
|---|---|
| Osika, J. (Accepted 2026) "Care Infrastructure Maintenence through Child Welfare Workers' Heterotopic Thinking." Human Organization. | Available Upon Request |
| Osika, J. (2026). Standards and Constructs in the Child Welfare Case File: An Anthropological Paperwork Assessment. Families in Society, 10443894261416956. | Families in Society |
| Luborsky, M. R., Ziglor, C., Byrappagari, D., Osika, J., Shay, K., and Jones, J. (2026). “Constructing Self-Rated Oral Health Among Disadvantaged Older African Americans.” Frontiers in Oral Health, 7, 1726866. | Frontiers in Oral Health |
| Osika, J. (In Press 2026). "Social Surveillance for Normative Structure Reinforcement and Resistance at the American Gym." Surveillance & Society. | In Press; Available Upon Request |
Under Review and Preperation
| Authors and Title | Target Journal |
|---|---|
| Osika, J., Linn, C., Odhiambo, S. A., Orero, W. O., Owour, J. A., Onyango, E. O., Owour, P. M. "Agency and Temporality in Unconditional Cash Transfers for HIV Risk Reduction among Young Women in Kisumu, Kenya." | Under Revise and Resubmit for PLOS Public Health; Available Upon Request |
| Osika, J. "Participation without Rights: Foster Child Participation in Juvenile, Evidence, and Stakeholder Roles in American Child Welfare Court." | Under Preparation for Child Abuse & Neglect; Available Upon Request |
| Minushi, I., Osika, J., Compton, A., and McGoron, L. "PTSD, Parenting Activities, and Child Health." | TBD |
Conference Presentations
- Osika, J. (Upcoming: November 2026). "Purity in Care: Child Welfare as a Neoliberal Project of Future Construction." American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO.
- Osika, J. (March 2026). “Reformative, Restorative, and Abolitionist Dreaming among Child Welfare Laborers” in Jocie Osika chair, “Abolition, Reform, and Anthropology toward the Future of Child Welfare.” Society for Applied Anthropology Annual Meeting.
- Osika, J. (March, 2026). “Heterotopic Reality Construction in the Child Welfare Case.” Transformations Conference, Detroit, MI.
- Osika, J. (April, 2025). “Construction and Enforcement of a Healthy and Productive National Social Future through Child Welfare” Lifespan Alliance Conference, Detroit, MI.
- Osika, J. (March, 2024). “Adequate, Appropriate, and Average: Institutionalization of “Normal” Childhoods and Care.” Transformations Conference, Detroit, MI.
- Osika, J. (November, 2023). “Reframing the Adoption “Marketplace” in Terms of Symbolic Hierarchy.” American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting, Toronto CN.
- Luborsky, M. Osika, J. Shay, K. Shilbayeh, M. Simoni, A, Ziglor, C. Byrappagari, D. and Jones, J. (2023). “Oral Health Equity, Beliefs, Practices, Perceptions Among Older Detroit Residents.” Gerontological Society of American Annual Meetings.
- Osika, J. (November, 2022). “What Comprises a “Case” in Online Listings of Girls Presented for Adoption by Agencies?” in Mark Luborsky and Eduardo Piqueiras, co-chairs, “‘What Is ‘This’ a Case of?’ Interrogations across Anthropological Landscapes.” American Anthropological Association annual meetings, Seattle, WA.
- Osika, J. (March, 2022). “Stereotypical Femininity and Negotiation in Teen Girls’ Adoption Heart Gallery Listings.” Transformations Conference, Detroit, MI.
- Osika, J. (March, 2021). “There is No I in Team: A Comparative Analysis of Student Athletes and Non-Athlete Students with Identity as a Distinguishing Factor.” Transformations Conference, Detroit, MI.
- Osika, J. (May, 2019). “Millennial Perceptions of Generation X: “They didn’t do shit!” University of Idaho Undergraduate Research Symposium, Moscow, ID.
Invited Talks
- Osika, J. (October, 2026). "Participation without Rights: Foster Child Participation in Juvenile, Evidence, and Stakeholder Roles in American Child Welfare Court." Wayne State University Humanities Center, Detroit, MI.
- Osika, J. (Upcoming: December, 2026). "Space, Place, Stigma, and Distrust: Developments in MSM's Relationships with HIV Research in the Detroit Area." Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of HIV and STI Programs; HIV/STI Programs, Client and Partner Services Division, Lansing, MI.
- Osika, J. (July, 2026). "National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Men Who Have Sex With Men 2026 Formative Assessment Report." Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of HIV and STI Programs; HIV/STI Programs, Detroit, MI.
- Osika, J. (November, 2025). “Anthropological Methods for Small Business Improvement and Growth.” Arab American Chamber of Commerce, Dearborn, MI.
- Osika, J. (January, 2025). “Agency and temporality in unconditional cash transfers for HIV risk reduction among young women in Kisumu, Kenya” (invited presentation) in Patrick Owour, “Research Experience in Anthropology.” First Fridays in Anthropology Series, Detroit, MI.