- Visiting Fellow
- Farrer, Douglas Stephen
- PhD Anthropology
- Time period: 01.10.2024 - 31.07.2025
- Research title: ‘Dreamcraft’ in Austronesian art
- Research Region: Southeast Asia, Micronesia
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- Video Statement
2022-24: Lecturer in Criminology, University of Exeter (UK)
2020-25: Affiliate Professor of Theatre, University of Ottawa (Canada)
2019-20: Visiting Scholar, Palau Community College, Republic of Palau (Micronesia)
2007-2019: A/P Anthropology, University of Guam (USA)
2001-2007: PhD Anthropology, National University of Singapore (Singapore)
DS Farrer is a social anthropologist with interests spanning visual anthropology, narrative criminology, performance studies, psychoanalysis, and practical philosophy. Based upon fieldwork in Singapore and Malaysia with artists, Sufi mystics, and traditional healers (bomoh) his research focus at CAS-E is on ‘dreamcraft:’ cognition embodied through lucid dreams/trance in divine Islamic art, and witchcraft. Co-founder of Martial Arts Studies, Farrer subsequently did research on Chinese secret societies, Indigenous Chamorro resistance, US police training methods, and crime scene photography. Notably this research is grounded in collaborative fieldwork and performance ethnography conducted in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Guam, Yap and Palau.
Books
Farrer DS (2016). War Magic: Religion, Sorcery, and Performance. New York: Berghahn.
Farrer DS, & Whalen-Bridge J (2011). Martial arts as embodied knowledge: Asian traditions in a transnational world. New York: SUNY.
Farrer DS (2009). Shadows of the Prophet: Martial Arts and Sufi Mysticism.
Journal articles
Farrer DS (2020). Dreamwork, art worlds and miracles in Malaysia. World Art, 10(1), 25-54.
Farrer DS (2019). Brazilian jiu-jitsu is therapy: Shifting subjectivities on Guam. Etnografia e Ricerca Qualitativa, 12(3), 407-428.
Farrer DS (2018). Captivation, false connection and secret societies in Singapore. Martial Arts Studies, 0(5), 36-36.
Farrer DS (2015). Efficacy and entertainment in Martial arts studies: Anthropological perspectives. Martial Arts Studies, 0(1), 34-34.
Farrer DS, & Sellmann JD (2014). Chants of re-enchantment: Chamorro spiritual resistance to colonial domination. Social Analysis, 58(1), 127-148.
Farrer DS (2014). Introduction: Cross-cultural articulations of war magic and warrior religion. Social Analysis, 58(1), 1-24.
Farrer DS (2012). The Performance of Enchantment and the Enchantment of Performance in Malay Singapore. Moussons (20), 11-32.
Farrer DS (2008). The healing arts of the Malay mystic. Visual Anthropology Review, 24(1), 29-46.
Farrer D (2006). ‘Deathscapes’ of the Malay martial artist. Social Analysis, 50(1), 25-50.
Book chapters
Farrer D (2018). Performance Ethnography. In (Ed) Martial Arts Studies: a Reader, Rowman and Littlefield.
Farrer D (2013). Becoming-animal in the Chinese Martial Arts. In (Ed) Living Beings: Perspectives on Interspecies Engagements, Bloomsbury Academic.
Farrer DS (2011). Coffee-shop gods: Chinese martial arts of the Singapore diaspora. In (Ed) Martial Arts as Embodied Knowledge: Asian Traditions in a Transnational World, 203-237.
2022-24: Lecturer in Criminology, University of Exeter (UK)
2020-25: Affiliate Professor of Theatre, University of Ottawa (Canada)
2019-20: Visiting Scholar, Palau Community College, Republic of Palau (Micronesia)
2007-2019: A/P Anthropology, University of Guam (USA)
2001-2007: PhD Anthropology, National University of Singapore (Singapore)
DS Farrer is a social anthropologist with interests spanning visual anthropology, narrative criminology, performance studies, psychoanalysis, and practical philosophy. Based upon fieldwork in Singapore and Malaysia with artists, Sufi mystics, and traditional healers (bomoh) his research focus at CAS-E is on ‘dreamcraft:’ cognition embodied through lucid dreams/trance in divine Islamic art, and witchcraft. Co-founder of Martial Arts Studies, Farrer subsequently did research on Chinese secret societies, Indigenous Chamorro resistance, US police training methods, and crime scene photography. Notably this research is grounded in collaborative fieldwork and performance ethnography conducted in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Guam, Yap and Palau.
Books
Farrer DS (2016). War Magic: Religion, Sorcery, and Performance. New York: Berghahn.
Farrer DS, & Whalen-Bridge J (2011). Martial arts as embodied knowledge: Asian traditions in a transnational world. New York: SUNY.
Farrer DS (2009). Shadows of the Prophet: Martial Arts and Sufi Mysticism.
Journal articles
Farrer DS (2020). Dreamwork, art worlds and miracles in Malaysia. World Art, 10(1), 25-54.
Farrer DS (2019). Brazilian jiu-jitsu is therapy: Shifting subjectivities on Guam. Etnografia e Ricerca Qualitativa, 12(3), 407-428.
Farrer DS (2018). Captivation, false connection and secret societies in Singapore. Martial Arts Studies, 0(5), 36-36.
Farrer DS (2015). Efficacy and entertainment in Martial arts studies: Anthropological perspectives. Martial Arts Studies, 0(1), 34-34.
Farrer DS, & Sellmann JD (2014). Chants of re-enchantment: Chamorro spiritual resistance to colonial domination. Social Analysis, 58(1), 127-148.
Farrer DS (2014). Introduction: Cross-cultural articulations of war magic and warrior religion. Social Analysis, 58(1), 1-24.
Farrer DS (2012). The Performance of Enchantment and the Enchantment of Performance in Malay Singapore. Moussons (20), 11-32.
Farrer DS (2008). The healing arts of the Malay mystic. Visual Anthropology Review, 24(1), 29-46.
Farrer D (2006). ‘Deathscapes’ of the Malay martial artist. Social Analysis, 50(1), 25-50.
Book chapters
Farrer D (2018). Performance Ethnography. In (Ed) Martial Arts Studies: a Reader, Rowman and Littlefield.
Farrer D (2013). Becoming-animal in the Chinese Martial Arts. In (Ed) Living Beings: Perspectives on Interspecies Engagements, Bloomsbury Academic.
Farrer DS (2011). Coffee-shop gods: Chinese martial arts of the Singapore diaspora. In (Ed) Martial Arts as Embodied Knowledge: Asian Traditions in a Transnational World, 203-237.
