Guérin Montilus

Guérin 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/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 – Degrees, Licenses, Certifications

• 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.