• Research Aims to Uncover the Cultural Significance of Hunting and Gun Ownership.

By Aubrey Hale
SVI Media

Nikolas Sweet, an assistant professor in the University of Wyoming’s Department of Anthropology, has been awarded the inaugural Norman G. Pauling Research Fellowship for Early-Career Scholars by the Phi Beta Kappa Society. His project, titled “Investigations into Gun Culture and Hunting: Perspectives from Linguistic Anthropology,” aims to explore the cultural significance of gun ownership and hunting in the American West.

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In a recent interview with SVI Radio, Chad Baldwin from the University of Wyoming highlighted the importance of Sweet’s research. “We know that hunting is a big part of Wyoming culture and history” Baldwin stated, “this is about exploring something that is significant to the people of the Cowboy State.”

Sweet’s research will employ anthropological and sociological methods to examine how hunting and gun culture intersect with identity and politics in Wyoming. Selected from nearly 50 applicants, his project received a $20,000 grant for its grounding in the liberal arts and its potential contributions to public understanding.

“I wanted to contribute to conversations about hunting that complement the work of my colleagues focused on hunter-gatherers,” Sweet explained.

He plans to involve University of Wyoming students as research assistants, offering them hands-on experience in ethnographic research. The project will investigate how guns and hunting influence personal identity and social interactions, addressing the cultural misunderstandings often associated with these practices.

Upon completing his project, Sweet will present his findings at the Phi Beta Kappa Senate meeting in December 2025, coinciding with the society’s 250th anniversary celebration at the College of William & Mary in Virginia.