Dr. Harvey Whitehouse

Biography

Harvey Whitehouse is a prominent scholar in anthropology, particularly noted for his research on social complexity, religion, and the roles of rituals in group cohesion. He holds the position of Director at the Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion (CSSC) and is a Fellow at Magdalen College, University of Oxford. His research interests include the evolution of social behavior, the impact of ritual practices on moral development, and the cognitive aspects of religious transmission. Whitehouse is recognized for his theory of 'modes of religiosity,' which suggests that the frequency and emotionality of rituals influence both the structure and cohesion of religious organizations. His work has a significant global scope, involving data collection and analysis from various field sites across multiple countries, including Singapore, Japan, and Brazil. An active contributor to the academic community, he supervises doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, guiding diverse research projects utilizing a wide range of methodologies, from ethnographic fieldwork to advanced statistical modeling. Whitehouse has also authored and edited numerous influential books and articles, contributing substantially to the understanding of how religious and social practices evolve and their implications for contemporary society.

Research Interests