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Recognition for Monash anthropologist

24 September 2008

Dr Thomas Reuter

Dr Thomas Reuter, a senior research fellow in anthropology from the Faculty of Arts, will lead the World Council of Anthropological Association (WCAA) for two years commencing in 2009.

Dr Reuter was elected chair-elect at the recent World Anthropology Conference in Osaka, Japan.

The World Council of Anthropological Associations (WCAA), which Dr Reuter co-founded in 2004, is a network of national and international professional associations that aims to promote worldwide communication and cooperation in anthropology -- the study of human cultural diversity.

The council includes more than 100,000 elected heads of associations from numerous countries around the world.

Dr Reuter said being elected as WCAA chair was an exciting opportunity.

"My aim is to bring the specific insights and knowledge of my discipline to bear on relevant issues of global concern, such as the rights of Indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and migrants," Dr Reuter said.

"The WCAA is a democratic, international organisation that allows us to establish the necessary consensus to speak with one voice to the global media as well as to international institutions such as UNESCO."

Dr Reuter has conducted field research on Indonesia for many years, focusing particularly on the proliferation of new religious and Indigenous people's movements in a context of rapid social change.

Visit the Faculty of Arts website for more information on studying Anthropology at Monash University.