Dr. John Barker

Biography

Professor Emeritus John Barker is a socio-cultural anthropologist with a focus on religious change among Indigenous peoples in colonial and post-colonial contexts, particularly within Oceania and British Columbia. He completed his PhD at the University of British Columbia in 1985 and held a Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship in Anthropology at the University of Washington, later joining UBC in 1987. Barker's primary long-term fieldwork has involved the Maisin people of Papua New Guinea, exploring socio-linguistic dynamics and the impact of Christian adoption in diverse contexts. His research interests further extend to historical foundations of modern anthropology in Canada and Oceania, and the role of missionary ethnographers, notably T.F. McIlwraith. His work frequently investigates the intricate relationships between local and global religious practices, the ethno-history of Canadian anthropology, and the anthropology of art concerning indigenous communities. He has authored several significant publications, focusing on the intersection of anthropology and Christianity, and served as chair of the Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania. Throughout his career, he has received various research funding from credible bodies such as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. His commitment to the field is evidenced through multiple invited visiting professorships and recognized contributions to academic discourse in anthropology.

Research Interests