Hjorleifur 'Leif' Jonsson retires after 26 years of teaching excellence

When Hjorleifur "Leif" Jonsson began his teaching career at ASU in 1998, the world looked very different. The first iMac desktop computer was released, Google was launched and students still relied on reading hard copies of books.

"I think teaching is more challenging now that people are reading things on their phones and using more online resources. So, maybe I picked a good time to retire," laughed Jonsson.

However, the Iceland-born Jonsson has never shied away from a challenge. From taking on complex subjects like politics and culture to seeking opportunities to highlight stories from ethnic minorities, the School of Human Evolution and Social Change professor relished digging deeper.

"I felt growing up that Iceland and my life were very monocultural. I wanted to be somewhere else. I wanted to see something different," said Jonsson.

The something else that Jonsson was looking for was located in Southeast Asia.

As a student at the University of Iowa, where he received his master's degree in anthropology, Jonsson began studying the Thai language. This decision ignited his passion for understanding the dynamics of the identity, cultural practices and social lives of the Mien people in Thailand.

Jonsson's research led him to draft over 40 journal articles and four books, including "Mien Relations: Mountain People and State Control in Thailand" and "Slow Anthropology: Negotiating Difference with the Iu Mien" during his academic career.

Although his early studies focused on hinterland farming populations in mainland Southeast Asia, field work in the late 1990s pivoted Jonsson's attention to the unique role sports play in Mein culture.

"I was settled in a small village and was researching traditional culture and ritual. As I was conducting an interview with a spirit medium, he told me that we had to stop because he was heading to a sports festival in which the entire village was involved," said Jonsson. "I followed him there and ended up being a part of the ceremony — probably because I was this tall white guy that looked like the presenters on Western television. I later realized just how important this display of sports was."

His experience led him to produce a 14-minute documentary entitled "Mein Sports and Heritage." It also formed the basis of Jonsson's one-of-a-kind class, ASB 252: Sports and Culture, which draws on sports to gain a foothold in the comparative study of society and culture.

"One reason I came up with this class was because I was teaching an introduction to anthropology class and wanted the students to get excited about anthropology. You can't get that if you're being kind of lectured at," said Jonsson. "I wanted to pull them in with something they found interesting. So, I came up with examples from many cultures and used them to illustrate how to do cross-cultural research."

Through Jonsson's class, ASU students examined the cultural significance of football in the U.S., soccer in Latin America and Muslim female boxers in Bengal. In 2020, Jonsson received the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching award from the School of Human Evolution and Social Change for his efforts.

The class also inspired the work of 2011 School of Human Evolution and Social Change doctoral graduate Jaime Holthysen, who was awarded a National Science Foundation grant for her thesis, "Embattled identities: constructions of contemporary American masculinity amongst mixed martial arts cage fighters."

"Watching my students finish their PhDs was definitely my proudest teaching moment. I mean, it's like nothing else," said Jonsson. "I learned a lot of stuff teaching undergrad classes because you find out what's going on in the world. But when you get a dedicated graduate student who does their own thing and you get to be kind of a part of it as an advisor, it's great."

During his tenure, Jonsson oversaw the sports research of three doctoral students, all of whom successfully completed their degrees.

While Jonsson found happiness in inspiring the next generation of anthropologists, he is looking forward to returning to his own pursuits after retiring this month.

"Now that I'll stop teaching, I'll have time to read all these Thai fiction books that I have been collecting. I can also get back to my sort of funny side project of translating Thai short stories into Icelandic. It's a great way for me to keep doing mental pushups in retirement," laughed Jonsson.

In recognition of his distinguished service to students, school and university, Jonsson has been honored with the title of emeritus professor.

"Leif's dedication to scholarship and teaching has left an indelible mark on our school and the many students he has inspired throughout the years," said Ryan Williams, professor and director of the School of Human Evolution and Social Change. "His contributions have helped shape our community into one that values curiosity, critical thinking and cultural understanding. We are deeply grateful for his years of service and wish him all the best in this exciting new chapter."