More than 100 staff members work in the Division of the Humanities. We’ll introduce you to our staff in this continuing series.

Isaac Rainey
Department Administrator
South Asian Languages and Civilizations

What do you like most about your job?

I have had jobs in the past where I wasn't sure anything was even resulting from my hard work. That is not the case since I became the administrator for the South Asian Languages and Civilizations (SALC) department. I know that my work means that courses happen, events take place, and that faculty and students have their needs met. I enjoy being a part of processes that produce some of the best scholarship on South Asia in the world. Everyone at SALC has been so warm, welcoming, and kind, and I am very fortunate to be here.

What was the last good book you read?

The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow was my favorite book in 2023. It refutes many of the narratives shoe-horned into pre-history by pop history and pop anthropology that argue that inequality is inherently baked into civilizations and presents a more evidence-based explanation for the existence of many highly organized societies that lacked strict hierarchies. It is difficult to be brief in discussing this book, and many are not as thrilled with it as I am. However, it has certainly electrified archaeology and anthropology, which has led to some very interesting debates and discussions.

You might work with me if …

If you work with SALC at any time, you will likely communicate with me at some point.

What's the most exciting thing you've learned in your current position?

Generally, how the university runs. Being a department administrator is a good position to become familiar with many corners of the university.