Susanne Kuehling

Susanne Kuehling serves as Professor and Department Head of Anthropology in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Regina. Her research centers on Pacific Islander societies with deep regional expertise in Melanesia and Micronesia.

• PhD from Australian National University

Professor Kuehling investigates gift exchange systems, personhood, migration, gender ethics, and landscape relationships through immersive fieldwork. Her studies on Dobu Island (Papua New Guinea) and Woleai (Micronesia) examine how matrilineal societies navigate traditional practices amid contemporary challenges, including urban migration to centers like Guam and Saipan. She analyzes the ethical frameworks underlying sharing and hiding practices within exchange economies.

Her recent projects include the 'Voices of Kula' research expeditions (2016, 2018) documenting the traditional shell exchange ring in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, and the educational film 'Let's Play Kula'. She teaches core courses including Anthropology of Gender, Ethnography of New Guinea and Micronesia, and Qualitative Research Methods, integrating her fieldwork insights into curriculum development.