Benjamin Baker

Field of Interest(s)
Australian Historic Archaeology, Chinese diaspora, religion, transnationalism, human-environment interactions.

My project focuses on overseas Chinese religion in Tasmania, Australia, and aims to understand how religious practices were maintained and transformed to navigate transnational tensions. To do so, my project adopts a global focus by examining the complex web of Chinese and British trade networks created through years of economic and cultural interactions. Thus, a major component of my project is situating the Tasmanian Chinese experience within broader socio-economic trends of the 19th century. Through the use of multi-scalar units of analysis, it aims to redress the chasm between the global and the local.

I hold a B.A. in Anthropology (focus in Archaeology) from McGill University, and a M.A. in Archaeology (with Distinction) from the University of Manchester. I have participated in research projects in Ireland, Australia (Tasmania), and most recently in Western Canada.

Benjamin Baker