Eric Montgomery

(He/Him)

montg285@msu.edu
3136001411
Baker 344

Assistant Professor of Anthropology

Anthropology

Biography

Eric J. Montgomery is a Cultural Anthropologist and Assistant Professor at Michigan State University where he serves as the Peace and Justice Adviser; he is also a long-time faculty member in the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Wayne State University where Professor Montgomery serves as the Saperstein Technology and Peace Senior Fellow. Montgomery organizes “Peace conferences” that have recognized the likes of Desmond Tuti, Mary Robinson, Noam Chomsky, and Izzeldin Abuelaish. Dr. Montgomery is also a filmmaker and social justice activist with research and work spanning the gamut of anthropology, African religion, and human rights. Montgomery has taught over 25 different courses in Anthropology and Peace and Justice studies over the past 20 years at several universities.

Montgomery is Co-Editor and Contributor to the book “Spirit Service: Vodún and Vodou in the African Atlantic World “ (2022) from Indiana University Press. Currently Montgomery is working Director Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri on film projects including topics such as environmental justice and the right to breathe, racial justice and Black Lives Matter, slavery and memory, and piece “water as life” and the African global water spirit Mami Wata. He is the co-author of the book “Ethnography of a Vodu Shrine in Southern Togo” (BRILL, 2017), and editor and contributor to “Shackled Sentiments: Memory and Slavery in the African Diaspora” (Rowman and Littlefield, 2019). Eric is the director and producer of two films on Vodun cosmology and worldview called Chasing the Spirit (2012 Art Films) and African Herbsmen (2014) stemming from ethnographic research into “Voodoo” in Western Africa.

Dr. Montgomery is the Executive Producer of a forthcoming documentary film for Sundance Studies called “Regeneration Generation” with tackles deforestation and preserving biodiversity through indigenous led film and sustainability projects (forthcoming, 2026). He is also Excutive Producer and Creator of a film on indigenous rights at “Adeila Marakana” in Rio de Janeiro (also forthcoming in 2026).

Recent research is published in such journal as The Shaman, Visual Anthropology, American Ethnologist, J of Religion in Africa, J of Africa Religions, J of Religion in Society, Applied Anthropologist, Public Anthropologist recent work on Anthropology, Peace, and Justice studies from Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Research. Eric Montgomery and Indrani were Finalists for their award-winning podcast Room “Sacred Realms” on the audio application Clubhouse. His new work includes a new book “Digital Storytelling and Social Justice” (with Beth Drexler and Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri) as well as a recent finalist on the Michigan State Team for “X-Prize” biodiversity competition which involved extended research in Brazilian Amazon with the Puyanawa and Huni Kuin peoples

Works

Publications

Books

2022 Spirit Service: Vodun and Vodou in the Atlantic World. Indiana University Press. Editor and

Contributor (with Vannier, and Landry). https://iupress.org/9780253061911/spirit-service/

2019 Shackled Sentiments: Spirits, Slaves, and Memory in the African Diaspora, Rowman and

Littlefield/Lexington Books, Editor and Contributor. https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781498585989/Shackled-Sentiments-Slaves-Spirits-and-Memories-in the African-Diaspora

2017 Ethnography of a Vodu Shrine in Southern Togo: Of Spirit, Slave, and Sea. With CN Vannier,

(Book) BRILL Publications: Religion in Africa series 2017: 46. http://www.brill.com/products/book/ethnography-vodu-shrine-southern-togo

** A new book (2022) “Digital Storytelling and Social Justice” manuscript accepted (TBD)

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

2022 “1967 Detroit Rebellion: In the Museum”, Journal of Black Studies, Submitted.

2022 Montgomery, Eric; Drexler, Elizabeth. “Anthropology of Peace and Justice Studies.” In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Ed. Mark Aldenderfer. New York: Oxford University Press, forthcoming.

2021 “Vodún/Vodu, Resistance, and North/South Relations in Undemocratic Togo”. Journal

of Religion in Africa. Vol. 50 (2), (2020) 224–248, https://brill.com/view/journals/jra/50/1-2/jra.50.issue-1-2.xml

[2021]. “Missing Vodun: Questions of Yoruba Supremacy and Authenticity in the African

Diaspora”, Brazilian Journal of the Caribbean.

2019 “Gothic ‘Voodoo’ in Africa and Haiti”, ETropic, Vol 18:1, 2019. DOI:

http://dx.doi.org/10.25120/etropic.18.1.2019.

2019 “Anthropology, Activism, and the Problems of Countering Violent Extremism in Africa”, Public Anthropology, Online. http://publicanthropologist.cmi.no/2019/05/12/anthropology-activism-and-the-problem-of-countering-violent-extremism-in-africa/

2018 “They Died in Blood: Morality and Communitas in Ewe Ritual.” Journal of Ritual Studies, 32:1.

2017 “Visual Voodoo: Photo-Voice and Participatory Film-making in Togo.” Visual Anthropology, 30:4,

pp 287-309

2016 “Shamanism and Voodoo: The Life and Acts of Sofo Bisi.” Shaman, Volume 24: pp. 47-72..

2016 “Syncretism in Vodu and Orisha: An Anthropological Analysis.” Journal of Religion and Society,

Volume 18:1.

2016 “Sacred Slaves: Tchamba Vodu in Southern Togo,” Journal of Africana Religions, Volume 4:1, pp.

104-127, (with CN Vannier).

2015 “The Materia Medica of Vodu Practitioners in Southern Togo,” The Applied Anthropologist, Vol. 1:

31-39, (with CN Vannier).

2012 “Activist Anthropology: Occupy Wallstreet, Occupy the World” in Anthropology News, January.

Book Chapters

2022 “Crossing Currents: Gorovodu and Yewevodu in Contemporary Togo,” Global

Vodun and Spirit Service, (Chapter 10), Indiana University Press, Edited by Montgomery et al.

Forthcoming.

2022 “Global Vodun and Spirit Service: Introduction,” Indiana University Press, Forthcoming.

2019 “The Past in Present: Slavery, Personhood, and Mimesis in Ewe Gorovodu and Mama Tchamba” in

Shackled Sentiments: Spirits, Slaves, and Memory in the African Diaspora. (Chapter 4), Rowman and

Littlefield / Lexington Books, Edited by Eric J. Montgomery.

2019 “Human Trafficking as a Global and Public Health Problem,” in Textbook of Global Health (book

chapter), Edited by Izzeldin Abuelaish, Forthcoming, Oxford University Press.

2018 “Countering Violent Extremism and the Role of Anthropology in Africa,” in The Changing

Dynamics of Terrorism and Violent Extremism: An Analysis. HORN: International Institute for Strategic

Studies, (11/2018). www.Horninstitute.org.

Recent Magazine and Online Articles

2021 “Celebrity Humanitarianism and the Anthropological Gaze.” Sapiens, with Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri,

Submitted.

2019 “Website Targets Human Rights Activists,” The South End, Summer, pp. 6

2019 “The Very Modern Problem of Human Slavery,” Sapiens, June 27,

https://www.sapiens.org/culture/modern-problem-human-slavery/

2019 “Anthropology, Activism and the Problem of Countering Violent Extremism in Africa,” The Public

Anthropologist, Online, May 2019, http://publicanthropologist.cmi.no/2019/05/12/anthropology-activism-and-the-problem-of-countering-violent-extremism-in-africa/

2019 “African Traditional Religion Demystified!” on Afrikan Heritage Website.

February 3, 2019, http://www.afrikanheritage.com/african-traditional-religions-demystified/

2018 “Why Detroit 67’ Matters,” Belt Magazine. https://beltmag.com/detroit-67-rebellion-matters-now/

Ethnographic Films and Multi-Media Projects

2021 Living Legacy: Indian Jews in the Promised Land. Kyyba Films; Detroit, MI. Adviser and

Consultant

2021-22 Mami Wata: Sacred Feminine, Film, forthcoming, with director Indrani Pal-Chauduri and

Professor Nwando Achebe

2020 Celebrity Humanitarianism and Social Justice, interview with Director Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri,

Kyyba Films, Detroit, MI. ‘Detroit Rising,’ VIDEOPODCAST, Forthcoming

2020 Human Trafficking and Survivor-led Solutions to Sex Trafficking, interview with Alice Jay and

Leslie King, Kyyba Films, Detroit, MI. ‘Detroit Rising,’ VIDEOPODCAST, Forthcoming

2018 The Cow Sacrifice, Tchamba Slave Spirit Vodu, Sakpata Shrine. (Short film)

Available on www.culturerealm.com.

2017 Socializing through Technology: Poke Mon Go in Downtown Detroit. Podcast.in Cultural

Anthropology, with David Leins, April 11. https://culanth.org/fieldsights/1097-socializing-through- technology-pokemon-go-in-downtown-detroit

2017 Guide to the Shrine: Sakpata. Culture Realm Films, May 25,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vynLEg3F-AI

2015 Afa Divination: Togo, West Africa. Culture Realm Films, May 25,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZpqdICyqUM

2015 Ethnography of a Shrine: Tchamba: Culture Realm Films, December 15, 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue-qmr35RrY&t=14s

2013 African Herbsmen: Healing and Religion along the Bight of Benin,

(37 minutes/Film), Art Films Australia. http://www.amazon.com/African-Herbsmen-Healing-Religion-

2012 Radio interview on WDET-Detroit with Craig Fahle. Chasing the Spirit: Cool Documentary,

http://archives.wdet.org/shows/craig-fahle-show/episode/chasing-the-spirit-documentary-gorovodu/

2012 Chasing the Spirit: Gorovodu in Southern Togo, [2012] (67 minutes), Art Films, Australia.

http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Spirit-Gorovodu-Southern

2011 [2002] Detroit Electronic Music Festival PBS, University of

Michigan, Ann Arbor, Producer (www.culturerealm.com)

Book and Film Reviews

2020 [Book Review] “Vodún. Secrecy and the Search for Divine Power”, African Studies Review,

In Press.

2020 [Book Review] “African Science: Witchcraft, Vodun and Healing in Southern Benin”, Journal of

Religion in Africa, In Press.

2019 [Book Review] “Religion and Faith in Africa: Confessions of an Animist”, Journal of Ecumenical

Studies, vol 54:1.

2018 [Book Review] “Working the System: A Political Ethnography of the New Angola”, American

Ethnologist, vol 45:4, Nov, 2018.

2017 [Book Review] “Beyond Religious Tolerance.” American Ethnologist, Volume 44:3

Reviews of my Works

2018 [Book Review by Tim Landry] of Ethnography of a Vodun Shrine in Southern

Togo, Journal of Religion in Africa, (December 10)

2018 [Book Review by Stephen Glazer] of Ethnography of a Vodu Shrine in Southern Togo, T and F

Online Religion, May 15, 2018

2018 [Book Review by Douglas J. Falen] of Ethnography of a Vodu Shrine in Southern Togo, American

Ethnologist, 45:2 (May 2018).

2017 [Book Review by EP Renne] of Ethnography of a Vodu Shrine in Southern Togo, CHOICE, Vol.

54 No. 12

2016 Chasing the Spirit (FILM REVIEW by Randy Baier); Comparative Studies in Society and History,

Cambridge: Volume 58: 3, (July 2016).

Current Research

My research integrates anthropology, African religions, peace and justice studies, decolonization, and globalization. Current film and book projects embody tropes of African Religions (Vodun and Orisha) and their intimate ties to social, economic, and environmental justice. My specialties include anthropology of religion, interfaith dialogue, peace and justice, collective memory and violence, and the study of sub-altern and marginalized groups, namely the Ewe Vodu worshippers of Ghana and Togo, and manifestations of African Religion in the Caribbean, Latin America, and the United States.

Gallery

Videos