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Qualifications, Positions, Outputs, Grants and Awards

QUALIFICATIONS

Doctor of Philosophy. 2016 – 2020 (May)

University of Otago, New Zealand.

Title: Contronymic Secularism: The Constitutional Politics of Religion in Fiji.  

https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/9909

 

Master of Arts in Religion and Society. 2010 – 2011

Durham University, United Kingdom. 

 

Diploma in Religious Studies. 2009

Open University, United Kingdom.

 

Master of Arts with Honours in Philosophy and Politics. 2001 – 2006

University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

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ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

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Teaching Fellow. History Programme, School of Arts, University of Waikato. June. 2024 – Nov. 2024.

  • Full-time contract to coordinate and teach two History courses: the undergraduate Pacific History paper and the postgraduate paper History and Theory. 

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Postdoctoral Research Fellow. School of Social Sciences, University of Otago. The Marsden funded Te Apārangi NZ Royal Society project ‘Fijian Cooperative Networks’. https://osf.io/2jt8e/ Oct. 2020 – May. 2024.

  • A longitudinal and ethnographic research project on the economic, demographic and religious determinates of health and social cooperation in post-Cyclone Winston Levuka, Ovalau. 

  • Primary field researcher leading 5 local research officers, collecting GIS mapping, census, cooperation and health and well-being data from peri-urban and farming communities.

  • Presenting findings at seminars to local experts and global health professionals

  • Writing of articles for academic publication in anthropology, Pacific studies and health sciences.

  • Securing ethics approval, local consent and ministerial permissions. 

 

Teaching Fellow. School of Social Sciences, University of Otago. https://www.otago.ac.nz/religion/staff/white.php  Jan 2019 – Nov 2023. 

  • Employed at various periods to lecture undergraduate papers in Otago’s Religion Programme, including (with methods taught in brackets): Religion and Human Behaviour (mixed methods); Religion, Law and Politics (media and discourse analysis); and Judaism Christianity and Islam (ethnographic participant observation).

  • In-class and distance teaching, classes < 50, facilitated before, during and after Covid.

  • Excellent student evaluation feedback across all papers (available on request).

 

Research Fellow. Centre for Advanced Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Leipzig University, Germany. Jan 2022 – July 2022 (6 month position)

  • Invited to expand my doctoral research on Pacific encounters with modernity and secularisation. ‘Pacific Secularities: Politics and Race in Fiji’s Secular State’. See https://www.multiple-secularities.de/team/tom-white/  

  • Participated in weekly colloquium providing international researchers feedback on their research papers.

 

Assistant Research Fellow. Database of Religious History Project, employed by University of Otago / University of British Colombia. www.religiondatabase.org/landing Dec. 2019 – Sept. 2020

  • Compilation of ethnographic data entries on Pacific Island societies for a comparative religion database run out of UBC.

  • Work entailed critical analysis of 19th and early 20th Century colonial reports on Indigenous cultures, and coding description into quantitative data for database entry.

 

PhD Candidate. School of Social Sciences. University of Otago, New Zealand. Feb 2016 – Aug 2020

  • Recipient of fully funded University of Otago Doctoral Scholarship to investigate the constitutional politics of religion in Fiji.

  • Archival and ethnographic data analysed with quantitative and qualitative methods, including 33 interviews with senior politicians, constitution commissioners, archbishops and other heads of religious bodies, academics, activists and lawyers.

  • Production of 100,000-word thesis and officially awarded as ‘Exceptional’.

 

Visiting Research Fellow. School of Government, Development and International Affairs, University of the South Pacific, Fiji. July – Oct. 2017

  • Participation in seminars, workshops and presenting research while on doctoral fieldwork.

 

Country Expert. Fiji. Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project. University of Gothenburg, Sweden. See https://www.v-dem.net/en/ Jan. 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020.

  • Repeat invitation to report democratic scores for Fijian political society.

 

Lecturer and Acting Head of School. School of Social Sciences, Fiji National University, Fiji. May 2015 – Sept. 2015

  • Covering three departments, Geography, History and Ethics and Governance, this position entails overall responsibility for the school’s academic administration.

  • Sitting on and presenting at Senate; recruitment and disciplining of staff; budgeting; research and programme development; school results reporting, and co-authorship of programme proposal for bachelor’s in social policy.

  • Role also included sitting on University Disciplinary Committee and serving as Secretary to the Student Welfare Senate Subcommittee.

 

Lecturer and Head of Department. Ethics and Governance, Fiji National University, Fiji. Jan. 2015 – Sept 2015

  • Overall responsibility for the administration for the Department of Ethics and Governance, including 8 lecturers, across 8 campuses, with a student in-take of circa 2,000 students a year.

  • Role also included sitting on College Research Committee reviewing research proposals submitted by college staff for college research funds and ethics approval. The CRC received approximately 5-6 proposals per quarter.

 

Lecturer. Department of Ethics and Governance, Fiji National University, Fiji. Feb 2012 – Sept. 2015

  • Compiling, lecturing, tutoring and marking the Ethics and Governance course delivered to bachelors-level students, across a range of disciplines.

  • Operating on a trimester basis, student in-take each trimester varied between 250-350 students, with student abilities ranging widely.

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Account Manager. PYV Group, London, May 2006 – Sept 2010. PYV Group was an Independent Lloyd’s of London Insurance brokers that specialised in Professional Indemnity Insurance for a range of professions. 

  • Team management of 6 account handlers and telesales staff.

  • Prospecting and winning new business via telephone and face-to-face selling.

  • Managing large volumes of high-net worth accounts, often in a high-stress environment. 

  • Advising on technical risk management and regulatory issues specific to each profession: solicitors, engineers, architects, financial advisers and surveyors.

  • Recruitment of new staff: posting adverts, searching CVs, interviews and selection.

  • Compiling reports on sales performance, policy wording analysis and prospect markets.

OUTPUTS: Publications and Conferences

Journal Articles

White, T., J. Bulbulia, P. Vakaoti and J. Shaver ‘Cohort Profile. The Levuka Study: Understanding the social determinants of          health and well-being in the Pacific Islands’. BMJ Open Access. In production.

White, T. ‘The Contronymic Script of Secularism in Fiji’s Constitution-making.’ Journal for the American Academy of            

  Religion[undergoing revisions].

White T. and Shaver, J. ‘Integrating Pacific Research Methodologies with Western Social Science Research Methods:

   Quantifying Pentecostalism’s effect on Fijian Relationality.’ Special Issue. Pacific Dynamics. 2022 

White, T. and M. Mua. ‘The Mandatory Ethics and Governance Courses in Fiji’s Universities: Institutional Ecologies,  

  Teaching Philosophies and the (ethical) future of Tertiary Education in the Pacific.’ Special Issue. Journal of Higher

   Education Policy  and Management. 2022. 

Shaver, J., T. White, P. Vakaoti and M. Lang. ‘A Comparison of Self-report, Systematic Observation and Third-Party

   Judgements of Church Attendance in a Rural Fijian Village.’ PLoS ONE 16(10). 2021.

White, T. ‘Christianity and Climate Change Adaption: Sea Level Rise and Ritualising Village Relocation in Fiji.’ Special Issue.

   Sites: Journal of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Vol. 16, 2019. 44-69. 

                Republished in Déjà lu, Issue 9 March 2021

White, T. ‘How Novel is the Secularism of Fiji’s 2013 Constitution.’ Special Issue. Journal of South Pacific Law, 2017. 73-

   100. https://www.usp.ac.fj/index.php?id=22271

White, T. ‘The Secular as an Event: Religion on the Other Hand.’ Double Dialogues, Issue Sixteen, Spring

   2013. http://www.doubledialogues.com/issue/issue-16/

 

Book Chapters 

White, T. ‘Are Fiji’s Military Strongmen Populists?’ In Routledge Handbook on Populism in Asia Pacific, edited by DB

   Subedi, Tony Lynch, Alan Scott and Howard Brasted. Routledge: London. 2024.

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Working Papers 

White, T. ‘Shadows on the Water: Secularities of Land and Sea in the Pacific Islands.’ Multiple Secularities Working Paper

   Series, N. 26 (forthcoming 2024).

 

Encyclopedia Entries, Reviews and Reports

White, T. ‘Goodenough and Fergusson Islanders.’ Encyclopaedic Entry for Database of Religious History, University of

   British Columbia. 2021.

White, T. ‘Dobu.’ Encyclopaedic Entry for Database of Religious History, University of British Columbia. 2021.  

White, T. ‘Buka.’ Encyclopaedic Entry for Database of Religious History, University of British Columbia. 2020.

White, T. ‘Lakalai.’ Encyclopaedic Entry for Database of Religious History, University of British Columbia. 2020.

White, T. ‘Mekeo.’ Encyclopaedic Entry for Database of Religious History, University of British Columbia. 2020. 

White, T. ‘Kiribati.’ Encyclopaedic Entry for Database of Religious History, University of British Columbia. 2020.

White, T. ‘Moriori.’ Encyclopaedic Entry for Database of Religious History, University of British Columbia. 2020.  

White, T. ‘Wogeo.’ Encyclopaedic Entry for Database of Religious History, University of British Columbia. 2020.

White, T. ‘Fiji.’ Country Expert Annual Democracy Indices for Varieties of Democracy Project (V-Dem), University of

    Gothenburg. 2020 https://www.v-dem.net/en/

White, T. ‘Report on the EASR 2018 Conference,’ British Association for Study of Religion Bulletin 133. November 2018.

White, T. ‘Engaging Religion and Populism: A Response to Bryan S. Turner on the Religious Studies Project,’ The Religious

    Studies Project. 2018, http://www.religiousstudiesproject.com/2018/01/21/engaging-with-religion-and-populism/

White, T. ‘Fiji.’ Country Expert Annual Democracy Indices for Varieties of Democracy Project (V-Dem), University of

    Gothenburg. 2018 https://www.v-dem.net/en/

White, T. ‘Book Review for The Problem with Interreligious Dialogue: Plurality, Conflict and Elitism in Hindu-Christian-

   Muslim Relations by Muthuraj Swamy.’ Yana 65. 2017.

White, T. ‘Fiji.’ Country Expert Annual Democracy Indices for Varieties of Democracy Project (V-Dem), University of

    Gothenburg. 2017 https://www.v-dem.net/en/

White, T. ‘Fiji.’ Country Expert Annual Democracy Indices for Varieties of Democracy Project (V-Dem), University of

   Gothenburg. 2016. https://www.v-dem.net/en/

White, T. ‘Climate and Justice: The Case of the Republic of Fiji.’ National Report for National Climate Justice Research

    Project on Ethics and Justice in Formulating National Climate Change Policies. Widener University School of Law,  

   Environmental Law Centre and School of Architecture and Planning University of Auckland, 2014.  

   https://nationalclimatejustice.org/national-reports/

 

Invited Talks

White, T. and Shaver, J. “The Levuka Study: Measuring Health and Well-Being in Sites of Economic Decline.” School of

   Social Science Seminar Series, University of the South Pacific, Fiji. October 2023.

White, T. “Fijian Secularism après la lettre.” Law and Society Workshop on Secularism as a Value. Princeton University,

   United States, May 2023. 

White, T. “Contronymic Secularism and Constitution-making in Fiji.” TRIALS Law and Society Workshop. National University

   of Singapore. Singapore, January 2023.

White, T. ‘Pacific Secularities: Ecologies, Paths, Junctures.’ Colloquium: Tom White – Pacific Secularities, Kolleg-  

   Forschungsgruppe: Multiple Secularities, Leipzig University, Germany, February, 2022.  

White, T. ‘New Directions: Constituting Religion in the Pacific.’ Law and Society Association of Australia and New Zealand

   Annual Conference, University of Otago, New Zealand. December 2021. 

White, T. ‘The Contronymic use of Secularism in Fiji’s 2012 Constitution Drafting Process.’ University of the South Pacific,

   Fiji. October 2017.

White, T. ‘Christian Myth and Ritual Adaptation: Village Relocation and Climate Change in Fiji.’ University of Otago, New

   Zealand. May 2016.

White, T. ‘A New Christian discourse for Climate Change in Fiji.’ Fiji National University, Nasinu, Fiji. October 2014.

White, T. ‘Profane and Sacred Secularity in Fiji’s Two Constitutions.’ Constitution Writing, Religion and Human Rights

    Research Group Workshop, Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Forschung, Universität Bielefeld, Germany. June 2014.

White, T. ‘The Profane and the Sacred in Fiji’s Constitutions.’ University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji. May 2014.

White, T. ‘Framing Religion in Fiji’s Constitutional Discourse.’ Fiji National University, Nasinu, Fiji. September 2013

White, T. ‘Analytic Approaches to an Ethical Argument.’ Fiji National University, Nasinu, Fiji. August 2012.

 

Conference Presentations

White, T. “Depolarising Fiji’s secular state after the Bainimarama regime”, International Society for Public Law Annual

    Conference, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, June 2023.

White, T. “Polarising Pacific Publics with discourses of Law and Religion,” New Zealand Association for Study of Religion    

    Annual Conference, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, November 2022.

White, T. ‘Integrating Pacific Research Methodologies with Western Social Science Research Methods: Quantifying      

    Pentecostalism’s effect on Fijian Relationality.’ University Centre Saint-Ignatius Summer School: Religion, Mobility and

    Economy. Antwerp, The Netherlands. August-September 2022.

White, T. ‘The Trials of the Ra and Nadroga/Navosa Provincial Christian States Secessionists for Sedition in Fiji’s new

   Secular State.’European Association for Study of Religion Annual Conference, University County Cork, Ireland. June 2022

White, T. ‘Contronymic Secularism and the Christian State Sedition cases in Fiji.’ New Zealand Association for the Study of

    Religion Annual Conference, Auckland University, New Zealand. December 2018.

White, T. ‘Christianity and Climate Change Adaption: Sea-Level Rise and Ritualising Village Relocation in Fiji.’ New Zealand

   Association for the Study of Religion Annual Conference, Auckland University, New Zealand. December 2018.

White, T. ‘A Politics of Missed Meaning: Contronymic Secularism in Fiji.’ After the Rule. A Symposium on Alternative

   Traditions of Law, Rules and Norms, ANU, Canberra, Australia. September 2018.

White, T. ‘The Rhetoric and Politics of a Fijian Secular State.’ International Society of Public Law, Annual Conference, Hong  

   Kong University, China.  June 2018.

White, T. ‘The Politics of a Contronymic Secularism in Fiji.’ European Association for the Study of Religion Annual  

    Conference, Bern University, Switzerland. June 2018.

White, T. ‘The Contronymic use of Secularism in Fiji’s Constitutionalism.’ New Zealand Association for Law and Society

   Annual Conference, University of Otago, New Zealand. December 2017

White, T. ‘The Origins, Relevance and Implementation of Fiji’s Constitutional Secularism.’ Pacific Constitutions Network

   Workshop, University of the South Pacific, Port Vila, Vanuatu. November 2016.

White, T. ‘Christian Myth and Ritual Adaptation: Village Relocation and Climate Change in Fiji.’ Woven Together?  

   Christianity and Development in the Pacific, Victoria University, New Zealand. June 2016.

White, T. ‘Shifting Christian Discourses for Climate Change in Fiji.’ International Conference on Oceans and Rivers, Fiji

   National University, Nadi, Fiji. October 2014.

White, T. ‘Constructing Religion in Fiji’s Constitutional Discourse.’ Australian Association for the Study of Religions Annual

   Conference, University of Southern Australia, Adelaide, Australia. October 2013.

White, T. ‘The Secular as Event: Religion on the Other Hand.’ Double Dialogues 2012, University of the South Pacific, Suva,

    Fiji. September 2012.

 

 

Podcast Interviews

White, T.  ‘The Therwil Affair: Islam, Gender and Handshakes in Switzerland.’ Interview with Dr Philipp Hetmanczyk and Dr

   Martin Bürgin. Religious Studies Project Podcast. December, 2018.

White, T.  ‘Religion and Education in Australia and New Zealand,’ Interview with Professor Marion Maddox, Religious

   Studies Project Podcast. November 2018.

White, T.  ‘Situating Religion with Justice’. Interview with Professor Joseph Bulbulia. Religious Studies Project Podcast,

   Religious Studies Project Podcast. May 2018.

White, T. ‘Against Invention: A Richer History for Hinduism’. Interview with Professor Will Sweetman, Religious Studies

   Project Podcast. February, 2018.

White, T.  ‘“Modelling Religion” and the Integration of the Sciences and the Humanities in the Bio-cultural study of

   Religion.’ Interview with Professor Wesley Wildman. Religious Studies Project Podcast, Religious Studies Project Podcast.

   October 2017.

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Scholarships and Research Grants

Law and Religion Workshop on Secularism as a Value. Travel funds and accommodation to attend three day workshop, value of circa $5000NZD. Princeton University, United States, May 2023.

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TRIALS Law and Society Workshop. Travel funds, stipend and accommodation to attend four day workshop for early-career socio-legal scholars, value of circa $5000NZD. National University of Singapore. Singapore, January 2023.

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Integrating Pacific Research Methods and Western Social Science. Competitive scholarship for travel, accommodation and board at the University Centre St. Ignatius Summer School (2022), at a value of circa NZ$2000.

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Contronymic Secularism in Fiji. University of Otago, post-submission three-month publishing bursary in 2020 of NZ$7500 to publish findings of doctoral research.

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Contronymic Secularism in Fiji. University of Otago, Division of Humanities International Conference Grant of NZ$5000 to present doctoral research at conferences in Hong Kong and Switzerland in 2018.

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Constituting the Sacred in Fiji. University of Otago Doctoral Scholarship comprising a full stipend of NZ$25,000 per annum for three years (2016-2019), plus tuition fee waiver to pursue doctoral research at the University of Otago.

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The Origins, Relevance and Implementation of Fiji’s Constitutional Secularism. This paper received joint funding (NZ$500) from Department of Theology and Religion, Otago University and the Pacific Constitutions Network to be presented in Vanuatu in November 2016. 

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Christian Myth and Ritual Adaptation: Village Relocation and Climate Change in Fiji, June 2016. Otago University’s department of Theology and Religion awarded NZ$500 for funds to present a paper at the Woven Together? Christianity and Development in the Pacific in Wellington, New Zealand.

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Profane and Sacred Secularity in Fiji’s Two Constitutions, May 2014. The Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Forschung (Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Bielefeld University) awarded approx. NZ$5000 to present my research at their workshop in Germany.

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Narratives of Global Warming, November 2013. The University Research offices of USP and FNU awarded our team a grant of FJ$30,000 (approx. NZ$20,000)

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Constructing Religion in Fiji’s Constitutional Discourse, August 2013. This paper was awarded funds of NZ$2000 by the Fiji National University’s College of Humanities and Education Research Committee for research to be presented at the AASR Annual Conference in Adelaide.

Awards and Recognition

Otago’s Exceptional PhD Thesis. PhD thesis formally recognised as being of exceptional quality by Otago’s Division of Humanities, the top award available. ‘Exceptional quality’ means that “the Pro-Vice- Chancellor of the relevant Division agrees with the unanimous recommendation of all three examiners that the thesis is […] amongst the top 10% of these examined.” https://www.otago.ac.nz/humanities/research/otago062055.html

 

Association of Social Anthropology of New Zealand selected my “Christianity and Climate Change Adaption…” journal article (p.2) as their 2019 article for republication in the global-facing anthropology journal Deja Lu.

 

Dean’s List, Ohio University. (Year abroad in 2004 on international exchange from EdinburghUniversity).

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