Susanna Barnes

Dr. Susanna Barnes is a social anthropologist at the University of Melbourne specializing in the anthropology of island Southeast Asia with a primary focus on Timor-Leste. Her research examines customary governance, land tenure systems, inter-generational well-being, and the complex intersections of colonial history with contemporary development practices. As an active academic, she teaches undergraduate anthropology courses and supervises graduate students in anthropological research related to Southeast Asia.

Dr. Barnes' educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Anthropology from Monash University (Melbourne, Australia)
• M.A. in Anthropology of Development from University of Sussex (Brighton, UK)
• M.A. (Hons) in Spanish and History from University of Edinburgh (Edinburgh, UK)

Dr. Barnes' research interests center on the anthropology of island Southeast Asia, with particular expertise in Timor-Leste. Her work explores how customary governance and land tenure systems interact with modern legal frameworks in post-conflict settings. She investigates inter-generational well-being and healing processes, kinship and exchange systems, and the complex legacies of colonial and post-colonial history. Her research on cultural tourism and development addresses how international development initiatives intersect with local customs and practices. Through extensive fieldwork, particularly in the community of Babulo in Uato Lari sub-district, she documents how communities navigate the tensions between tradition and modernity.

Dr. Barnes' recent publications reveal a strong focus on how customary practices in Timor-Leste respond to contemporary challenges. Her work examines the intersection of traditional knowledge systems with public health responses, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. She explores how ritual authority is reasserted in post-occupation contexts and investigates the persistence of social categories like 'slave' in contemporary Timor-Leste society. Her research on tourism imaginaries reveals how communities envision post-pandemic economic recovery through cultural heritage. A recurring theme across her work is the examination of Portuguese colonial legacies and their ongoing influence on land governance and social structures in Timor-Leste and other former Portuguese colonies.

Dr. Barnes is actively involved in interdisciplinary research collaborations, particularly with colleagues from the University of Melbourne on customary approaches to health and healing in Timor-Leste. She is currently working on an international research project that combines ethnographically grounded research and micro-histories of land governance policies across former Portuguese colonies in Asia, South America, and Africa. She is also a member of the Economies and Globalisation Research Laboratory. Dr. Barnes teaches courses including ANTH111: One World, Many Peoples, ANTH231: Cross-cultural perspectives on health and illness, ANTH240: Cultural Landscapes and Environments, and ANTH310: Anthropology of Gender. She is currently available to supervise MA students in Anthropology, focusing on research related to Southeast Asia.