Steven Hooper

Steven Hooper. He is a prominent British social anthropologist and scholar specializing in the art and material culture of the Pacific Islands. As the Director of the Sainsbury Research Unit for the Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas at the University of East Anglia, he has significantly advanced the academic study and public understanding of Oceanic art. His extensive fieldwork, particularly in Fiji and Hawaii, and his influential publications have established him as a leading authority in the fields of museum anthropology and visual culture.

Early life and education

Hooper's academic foundation was established at the University of Oxford, where he completed his first degree. He then pursued postgraduate studies in social anthropology at the University of London, earning his doctorate. His early research interests were shaped by the theoretical approaches of leading anthropologists and the rich collections of institutions like the British Museum and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge. This period solidified his focus on the intricate relationships between objects, social practices, and belief systems in Polynesia and Melanesia.

Career

Hooper's professional career has been closely associated with the Sainsbury Research Unit (SRU) at the University of East Anglia, a world-renowned center for the study of non-Western art. He joined the SRU as a lecturer and later ascended to the role of Director, a position he has held for many years, shaping its research agenda and academic programs. In this capacity, he has overseen numerous international conferences, curated major exhibitions, and mentored a generation of scholars in Pacific studies. Beyond the SRU, he has served as a trustee and advisor for several major cultural institutions, including the British Museum and the Royal Anthropological Institute, contributing to critical debates on cultural heritage and repatriation.

Research and contributions

Hooper's research is characterized by deep, sustained fieldwork and a nuanced analysis of artifacts within their original cultural contexts. His seminal work in Fiji, exploring the social and ritual significance of objects like ceremonial barkcloth (masi) and whale ivory pendants (tabua), has redefined understandings of Fijian art. Similarly, his investigations into the pre-colonial art of Hawaii, including studies of featherwork and wood sculpture, have illuminated the complexities of Hawaiian society and its aesthetic systems. A central theme in his scholarship is the critical examination of cross-cultural encounters, collecting histories, and the role of museums, as explored in his work on the collections made during the voyages of Captain James Cook.

Selected publications

Hooper's written work is extensive and influential, bridging academic anthropology and public museum practice. Key monographs include *"Pacific Encounters: Art & Divinity in Polynesia 1760–1860"*, which accompanied a major exhibition and examined early exchanges between Islanders and Europeans. His authoritative volume *"Fiji and the Fijians: Art & Life in the Pacific"* provides a comprehensive overview of the subject. Other significant works include *"Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Collection: Volume III"*, cataloguing the Oceanic art holdings of the renowned Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, and numerous scholarly articles in journals such as *The Journal of the Polynesian Society* and *Museum Anthropology*.

Awards and honors

In recognition of his substantial contributions to anthropology and art history, Hooper was elected a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA), the United Kingdom's national academy for the humanities and social sciences. This prestigious fellowship is a testament to the high esteem in which his research is held by his peers. His work has also been supported by grants from leading funding bodies such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Leverhulme Trust, enabling his extensive field research and publication projects that continue to shape the discipline.

Category:British anthropologists Category:Academics of the University of East Anglia Category:Pacific studies scholars Category:Fellows of the British Academy Category:Year of birth missing (living people)