skylar hou

My research focuses on the aspirations and consequences of efforts made by language learners as they create new domains of knowledge and innovative ways to engage with the language.

In my ongoing dissertation project, I examine a group of elderly individuals who organize themselves to learn their heritage language, Classical Mongolian — a language they never had the opportunity to learn in their youth. Through 9 months of ethnographic work, I document their creative learning strategies, revealing how language serves not just as a tool for communication, but as a vibrant place for memory, community, and joy.

I am the third-year doctoral fellow in the Programs in Anthropology at Teachers College, Columbia University. I earned my B. A. degree summa cum laude in French, Psychology and Education at Mount Holyoke College in 2022. 

Explore my research, teaching, and artistic projects here, and follow my journey on Instagram: @field.art.works.