His archaeological work focuses on the southern Lake Chad Basin of Central Africa. His main research interests are in state formation processes in Africa, international cultural heritage management issues, the archaeological study of ethnicity and social boundaries, and African and global archaeogenetics. His most recent book is "Searching for Boko Haram: A History of Violence in Central Africa." His teaching interests at Duke Kunshan include cultures and movements, anthropology and archaeology, and courses that connect to global health and environmental science.
MacEachern has a B.A. (honors) in anthropology from the University of Prince Edward Island and an M.A. and Ph.D. in archaeology from the University of Calgary. Before joining Duke Kunshan, he was professor of anthropology at Bowdoin College, where he also served as chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. He won multiple teaching awards at Bowdoin and was elected chair of the committees for faculty governance, and promotions and tenure.