
Guerin Montilus
Professor
313-577-2935
313 -577-5958 (fax)
Office Hours: Tuesday, 3:30pm-5:00pm (By appointment only)
Guerin Montilus
Born in Haiti
USA citizen
Academic degrees: Haiti, Canada, France, Switzerland
Fieldwork experience: Haiti; Cuba, Bahamas, Benin (West Africa), Detroit
WSU appointment history:
Year appointment: 1975, Assistant Professor
Year awarded tenure: 1980
Year promoted to Associate Professor: 1980
Year promoted to Full Professor: 1991
Research interest(s)/area of expertise
Anthropology of religion
African religions (Vodun) among the Adja in southern Benin, southern Togo and Western Ghana (West Africa)
African religions in the Caribbean and the Americas
World's religions
Religion and material culture
Founder of Anthropology Material Culture Lab housing a personal extensive collection of West African and Caribbean art and artifacts related to African religions
Research
African religions (Viodun) in Benin, Haiti, Cuba (Santería)
African American religion in the USA
African religions and material cultures in the areas of research
Education
- Dr. Phil., Anthropology, University of Zurich, 1973
- M.A., Anthropology, University of Paris, Sorbonne, 1969
- B.A. Theology, Catholic University of Paris, 1967
Awards and grants
President and Board oif Governors Service Award for 40 years of service, WSU, 2015
Outstanding Mentor Award, WSU, 2009
President N. D. Soglo of Benin, Ouidah 92 Award for a lifetime achievement, Cotonou, 1992
Detroit Mayor Coleman Young, Award for recognition of service, City of Detroit, Michigan, 1991
Detroit City Council, Award for recognition of service, City of Detroit, Michigan, 1991
Michigan State Senate, Award for ecognition of service, 1991
Michigan House of Representatives, Award for recognition of service, 1991
University of Medical Sciences No 2, Award, Award for academic collaboration, Santiago de Cuba, 1997
KOSANBA (Association for the study of African Religions in Haiti), Award for the dedication in advancing the study of African, African-Caribbean, African-Latin religions, 2006
Wenner Gren Foundation, USA, Research grant, Beniin, 1970
UNESCO, Research grant, Benin, West Africa 1971
The African American Catholic Conference, research on African spirituality, 1985
Selected publications
Books:
Dieux en diaspora: les loa haîtiens et les vodun du royaume d'Allada, 1988
Dompim: The Spirituality of the African Peoples, 1989
Preface and Post-texte in Catherine et Bernard Desjeux, Vodun et Orisha: La voix des dieux, Paris, 2016
Currently teaching
Ant 3520 Understanding Africa
Ant 7010 Theory I
Courses taught
Ant 5380 History of Anthropology
Ant 5370 Magic, Science, and Religion
Ant 3600 World's Religions
Ant 5200 African Religions: A Trip[le Heritage
Ant 3600 African Anerican Churches
West Africa Study Trip, Biennial summer study program, hosted by National University of Benin (Cotonou ), 1984-2002
Cuba Study Trip, Biennial summer study program, hosted by La Universitad de Ciencias Medicas, Faculdad No 2, 1997-2003, Santiago de Cuba
Other qualifications directly relevant to courses taught
Instrumental for the departmental and collegial invitation of 15 international academic professors and scholars from Benin, Ghana, Haiti, Cuba, and USA.