Musqueam/Squamish/Tsleil-Waututh territories (Vancouver, Canada), 2019. Photo credit: Dick Powis

Rine Vieth, PhD

SOCIAL SCIENTIST AND SOCIOLEGAL SCHOLARSPÉCIALISTE EN SCIENCES SOCIALES ET ÉTUDES SOCIO-JURIDIQUE

Rine (they/them) is a researcher, educator, analyst, artist, and all-around curious person interested in law, governance, gender and religion. They are also beginning new research projects on 1) anti-gender mobilization and 2) knowledge infrastructures in asylum systems.Rine (iel + accords masc) est chercheur, éducateur, artiste, analyste et curieux qui s'intéresse au droit, à la gouvernance, à la genre et à la religion. Iel commence également de nouveaux projets sur 1) la mobilisation anti-genre, et 2) les infrastructures de connaissance dans les systèmes d'asile.

View of the Peak District, England, 2017. Rine Vieth.

About/Qui suis-je ?

Hello!
Currently, I hold an appointment as Part-Time Faculty in the Department for the Study of Religion at Saint Mary's University, and am 2023-2024 CRIDAQ Postdoctoral Fellow at Université Laval.
My research is driven by issues of pressing social importance, and driven by my training as a qualitative researcher with a love of coding and GIS. From the practicalities of determining asylum claims, to trying to map anti-trans legislation in the US, to applying Rstats code to administrative tribunals, I pursue big questions.In addition, enjoy creating visual and audio multi-modal works, and have an art practice that is influenced by both my passion for DIY posters and zines, as well as my love of comics.


Salut !
J'occupe un poste de professeur à temps partiel au département d'étude de la religion de l'Université Saint Mary's, et je suis boursier postdoctoral du CRIDAQ pour la période 2023-2024 à l'Université Laval. Je suis également activement impliqué dans une ONG dirigée par des transgenres qui analyse la législation anti-transgenre aux États-Unis.
Mes recherches sont motivées par des questions d'une importance sociale pressante et par ma formation de chercheur qualitatif, passionné par le codage et les SIG. Qu'il s'agisse des aspects pratiques de la détermination des demandes d'asile, de la tentative de cartographie de la législation anti-trans aux États-Unis ou de l'application du code Rstats aux tribunaux administratifs, je me pose de grandes questions.En outre, j'aime créer des œuvres multimodales visuelles et sonores, et ma pratique artistique est influencée par ma passion pour les affiches et les zines bricolés, ainsi que par mon amour de la bande dessinée.

Maine, 2019. Rine Vieth.

Current Projects/Projets en cours

Academic Writing/Ouvrages académiques
- “Hostile Environments, Hostile Terrains: Deserts and England’s ‘Green and Pleasant Land’” (journal manuscript)
- “British Narratives and Asylum Claims: Story Structure and Humanitarian Migrants”
- “Gay Enough? Christian Enough?: Proving Sexuality and Belief in the UK Asylum System”
- “Institutionalized Uncertainty and the ‘Hostile Environment’: Ignorance and Digital Data in the UK”
Zines in Progress
- Multilingual zine about third-country agreements (US, UK, CAN)
Audio
- Multilingual audio-snapshots of Montréal
- Audio vignettes that explore how people live in and experience urban areas as "home"
- Sonification of UK asylum tribunal and asylum-seeker claimant data
- Sonification of Canadian asylum-seeker data

CV

EDUCATIONPhD Candidate, Anthropology, McGill University (2015 - 2023)
Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Ronald Niezen
Thesis: Proving Faith: Conversion in the UK Asylum and Immigration Tribunals
MSc Social Anthropology, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) (2013 - 2014)
Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Nicholas Long
Thesis: Law, Religion, and a Complicated Context: Muslim Chaplaincy in the UK as Legal Pluralism
MA Islamic Law, SOAS (2011 - 2012)
Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Lynn Welchman
Thesis: Projects for Legislating Society: Legal Pluralism, the Code Morand, and the Iraqi Constitution
BA History, Minor in Russian Literature and Language, Colby College (2006 - 2010)
Supervisor: Dr. Paul Josephson
Independent Study: “Bad Copyists”: Photography in the Early Soviet Union


PUBLICATIONS
Academic Publications
- Vieth, R., “Addressing Serious Harm, Reconsidering Policy and Building Towards Repair,” Journal of Legal Anthropology, Berghahn, vol. 6, issue 1, 95-110.
Under Review
- Vieth, R., “Evidencing Conversion: Proof, Belief, and Asylum Claims,” Canadian Journal of Law & Society. Submitted August 17, 2023.
- Vieth, R., “Hostile Environments, Hostile Terrains: Deserts and England’s ‘Green and Pleasant Land,’” Migration and Society. Submitted September 1, 2023.
Forthcoming
Vieth, R., “Constructing Gender in Asylum Claims: A UK Case Study,” in Powis and Strong, eds., Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective, 8th ed. Final draft Submitted August 2023, expected press early 2024.
In Preparation
- Vieth, R. “British Narratives and Asylum Claims: Story Structure and Humanitarian Migrants.”
- Vieth, R. “Gay Enough? Christian Enough?: Proving Sexuality and Belief in the UK Asylum System.”
- Vieth, R. “Institutionalized Uncertainty and the ‘Hostile Environment’: Ignorance and Digital Data in the UK”
Online Publications
- Vieth, Rine. 2023. “Is it Going to Be Okay? / Est-ce que ça va aller?” Platypus, Blog for the Committee for the Anthropology of Science, Technology, and Computing (CASTAC).
- Vieth, RIne. 2022. “Monstrous Matter, Out of Place.” Platypus, Blog for the Committee for the Anthropology of Science, Technology, and Computing (CASTAC).
- Vieth, Rine. 2020. "I’ve Never Met Anyone Like Me, But Anthropologists (Not Me) Study People Like Me, Or: What if we trans/non-binary people weren’t just your objects of study?" Anthrodendum.
- Vieth, Rine. 2020. "On Gutters and Ethnography." Anthrodendum.
- Vieth, Rine. 2018. "Dis/ability to do Fieldwork." The New Ethnographer.
Media
Vieth, Rine. 2019. "I am not your canary." The McGill Daily.
Vieth, Rine. 2013-2014. "Walking the River Programme." PULSE Radio, London, England.
Translations
Mayakovsky, Vladimir Vladimirovich. Translated by Rine Vieth. 2010. "Listen!/Послушайте!" Colby College Russian Poetry Program, Waterville, Maine.


PRESENTATIONSConference Presentations
- Vieth, Rine. 2023. “Agnotology at the Border,” Datafication and Borders Conference, CERC Migration and Integration, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada.
- Vieth, Rine. 2022. “Hostile Environment, Hostile Terrains: The Desertification of England's ‘Green and Pleasant Land,’” Canadian Anthropology Society/La Société canadienne d’anthropologie Annual Meeting, Online/Regina, Canada.
- Vieth, Rine. 2021. “Fractured Interactions: State Entanglements within the UK Asylum System,” Canadian Anthropology Society/La Société canadienne d’anthropologie Annual Meeting, Online/Regina, Canada.
- Vieth, Rine. 2021. “Anthropology as Work: Interacademic Solidarities,” American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting, Online.
- Vieth, Rine. 2019. "'We Know When They Laugh With Us': Engaged Anthropology and the UK Asylum Tribunals." Law & Society Association (LSA) Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.
- Vieth, Rine. 2018. "'Genuine' Anthropology: Political Anthropology in the UK IACs." Association of Social Anthropologists of the UK and Commonwealth (ASA) Annual Meeting, Oxford, England.
- Vieth, Rine. 2018. "Faith, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt." Society of Legal Scholars (LSA) Annual Conference, London, England.
- Vieth, Rine. 2018. "Faith, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt." European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA) Biannual Meeting, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Vieth, Rine. 2017. “Projects for Legislating Society." Texas A&M Liberal Arts International Conference, Doha, Qatar.
- Vieth, Rine. 2016. "Diversity and Law: A Legal Anthropology Perspective." DRI Professional Liability Seminar, New York City, USA.
Guest Lectures
- Vieth, Rine. 2021. "Anthropology of Institutions." Legal Anthropology, McGill University. Montréal, Canada.
- Vieth, Rine. 2017. "Legal Anthropology in the UK." Legal Anthropology, McGill University. Montréal, Canada.
- Vieth, Rine. 2017. "Anthropology of Religion." Introduction to Anthropology, McGill University. Montréal, Canada.
- Vieth, Rine. 2016. "Islam, Codification, and Syncretism." Anthropology of Religion, McGill University. Montréal, Canada.
- Vieth, Rine. 2015. "Codification Projects in North Africa." Social Change in Modern Africa, McGill University. Montréal, Canada.
Roundtables
- Vieth, Rine. 2023. MPAAC Roundtable on Labour and the Job Market for Anthropologists, American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting, Online/Seattle, USA.
- Vieth, Rine. 2019. "The New Ethnographer." AAA/CASCA Annual Meeting, Vancouver, Canada.
Panel Convener
- Vieth, Rine. 2019. "Legal Truth and Social Testimony: The Battle for Evidence." AAA/CASCA Annual Meeting, Vancouver, Canada.


TEACHING EXPERIENCE (feedback available upon request)
- Anthropology of Religion (Instructor): Fall 2023, Saint Mary's University
- Faith in Action - Religion and Social Movements: Fall 2023, Saint Mary's University
- Anthropology of Meaning (Instructor): Winter 2022, McGill University
- Introduction to Anthropology (Instructor): Summer 2021, McGill University
- The Process of Anthropological Research (Teaching Assistant): Winter 2019, McGill University
- Anthropology of Law (Teaching Assistant): Winter 2017, McGill University
- The Process of Anthropological Research (Teaching Assistant): Fall 2016, McGill University
- The Anthropology of Development (Grader): Summer 2016, McGill University
- Anthropology of Religion (Teaching Assistant): Winter 2016, McGill University
- Social Change in Modern Africa (Teaching Assistant), Fall 2015, McGill University


AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS
- Québec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) McGill Summer Grant for Engaged Research, Montréal, Canada. 2022.
- Mitacs Research Raining Award, McGill University, Montréal, Canada, 2020.
- Wolfe Fellowship for Scientific and Technological Literacy, McGill University, Montréal, Canada, 2018.
- McCall/MacBain Fellowship, McGill University, Montréal, Canada. 2015, 2016.
- Graduate Excellence Fellowship (awarded three times), McGill University, Montréal, Canada. 2015, 2016, 2017.
- Graduate bursary, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK, 2013.
- Center for the Arts and Humanities Internship Award, Colby College, Waterville, US, 2009.


SERVICE AND AFFILIATIONS
- Executive Committee Member, Anglophone Member-at-Large / Membre actif anglophone for the Canadian Anthropology Society, 2022 - 2024
- Affiliate, Centre for Refugee Studies, York University, 2023 - Present
- Creator and moderator, Anthro/Archaeo Jobs, a listserv for jobs in the social sciences with over 400 subscribers
- Graduate Student Representative on McGill University Arts Faculty Council: 2019 - 2020, 2020 - 2021, 2021 - 2022, 2022 - 2023
- Response Coordinator for AGSEM (graduate student labour union) response to University policy review on students with disabilities, Spring 2020
- Response Coordinator for AGSEM (graduate student labour union) response to University Equity, Diversity, Inclusion plan, Spring 2020
- Mental Health Working Group Coordinator (McGill University): 2019 - 2021
- Student Representative, Senate Subcommittee on Disability (McGill University): 2019 - 2021
- Member, Graduate Student Health and Wellness Committee, PGSS (McGill University): 2019 - 2020
- Union Representative, Working Group on the Policy Against Sexual Violence (McGill University): 2018 - 2019
- Mentor for Undergraduate Anthropology Students (McGill University): 2015 - 2022
- Member, Canadian Anthropology Society (CASCA): 2019 - Present
- Member, Law and Society Association (LSA): 2018 - Present
- VP Finance, Anthropology Graduate Students Association (AGSA) (McGill University): August 2015 - October 2017


RECENT EMPLOYMENT
- Instructor, Saint Mary's University (see specific courses above)
- Instructor, McGill University (see specific courses above)
- Mobilization Officer, the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM) (Montréal, Canada): 2019 - Present
- Teaching Assistant, McGill University (see specific courses above)
- Research Assistant, Dr. Ronald Niezen (McGill University, Montréal, Canada): 2015 - 2017
- Samba drumming instructor for Barking Bateria, Sambatage, and Sambattalion (London, England): 2011 - 2015
- Social Researcher, The HOME Project (London, England): 2012


LANGUAGESEnglish (first language)
French (advanced)
Modern Standard Arabic (advanced)
Russian (intermediate)
Darija (intermediate)
Farsi (beginner)
Spanish (beginner)


Interested in reading my theses, presentations, or lectures? Can't find my work elsewhere? Email me! rine.vieth@gmail.com.

Willow, 2020. Rine Vieth.

Resources / Des ressources

I firmly believe in sharing work and resources. Please cite (and, if you can, let me know!) if you use these.


Je crois fermement au partage du travail et des ressources. Veuillez citer (et, si vous le pouvez, faites-le moi savoir !) si vous les utilisez.


- Presentation: How to do Institutional Research - Information requests, free data tools, government data, and more! (Day One Slides) (Day Two Slides soon!)
- How to Reseach Your Institution - US Edition (English only / anglais seulement)
- How to Assert Yourself in Your First Academic Job
- Funding Google Calendar (largely US/Can-based social science funding)
- Anthro/Archeo Jobs Listerv (founder and moderator)

Art

I write and research...but I also create other works. I'm happy inking my comics with a paintbrush, or on an iPad.


J'écris et je recherche ... mais je crée aussi d'autres œuvres. Je suis heureux d'encrer mes bandes dessinées avec un pinceau, ou sur un iPad.


City Walls are for Learning: Design and Activism
- Ongoing solo art project that involves creating posters on topics related to social justice, housing, migration, and more that are posted around Montréal
- Posters are bilingual, and black and white to facilitate cheap, accessible sharing
- Draws inspiration from the Autonomous Design Group, Atelier Populaire, Sister Corita Kent, and members of the Just Seeds Collective


Vieth, Rine. "On Gutters and Anthropology." 2020. Digital comic, available on Anthrodendum

Vieth, Rine. "Cactus Grief." 2020. Digital comic. (Reproduced below)

Data Visualization/Visualisation des données

My interest in data visualization comes out of my research interests, my art practice, and my desire to communicate my research with a broader audience.Below are some examples of my work. I usually work in R for initial data analysis and exploration, though I also use Affinity, Canva, Excel, Python, and more to communicate important information in a creative way.


Mon intérêt pour la visualisation de données découle de mes intérêts de recherche, de ma pratique artistique et de mon désir de communiquer mes recherches à un public plus large.Vous trouverez ci-dessous quelques exemples de mon travail. Je travaille généralement en R pour l'analyse et l'exploration initiales des données, mais j'utilise également Affinity, Canva, Excel, Python et d'autres outils pour communiquer des informations importantes de manière créative.


Vieth, Rine. "Mapping Montréal Cartographie." 2021 - Present. Multilingual QPIRG Community Grant-funded project to map and analyze the impact of AirBnB on Montréal, as well as to trace changes in demographics in the city over time in an accessible way. Mapping/MTL/Cartographie maps and code available here

Tiohtià:ke / Mooniyaang (Montréal), 2017. Rine Vieth.

Contact/Contactez-moi

For general questions, media enquiries, consultation requests, or opportunities to collaborate together, please send an email to rine.vieth@gmail.comI am particularly interested in work to do with law, religion, and politics—especially those that give back to communities involved in research.
(Let's minimize extractive research!)


Pour les questions générales, les demandes des médias, les demandes de consultation ou les opportunités de collaboration, veuillez envoyer un e-mail à rine.vieth@gmail.comJe suis particulièrement intéressé par les projets liés au droit, à la religion et à la politique, en particulier ceux qui redonnent aux communautés impliquées dans notre recherche.
(Minimisons la recherche « extractive » !)