James Peter Brosius

James Peter “Pete” Brosius, age 72, died peacefully on July 29, 2026, in Athens, Georgia. Pete was a colorful man - a man of boundless energy and insatiable curiosity with an unwavering dedication to truth, no matter how messy and uncomfortable.

He is survived by his wife, Sarah Lynne Hitchner; his son, Radford Emerson Brosius; and his daughter, Naia Bulan Hitchner-Brosius. He is also survived by stepsons Zachary and Alexander and sisters Susan, Judith, and Melinda. He was preceded in death by his parents George and Doris Brosius.

The son of a Navy chaplain, he grew up in California, Guam, and the Philippines. He earned a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies at California Lutheran University in 1976, an M.A. degree in Anthropology at the University of Hawai’i in 1981, and a Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of Michigan in 1992.

Pete was a Distinguished Research Professor of Anthropology at the University of Georgia and the Founding Director of the Center for Integrative Conservation Research at UGA. He was at the forefront of efforts to transform the field of Environmental Anthropology and to develop a systematic Anthropology of Conservation. His visionary research and scholarship helped produce a new model of interdisciplinary inquiry for understanding and guiding conservation efforts. As one of the world’s leading scholars on the political ecology of conservation, he analyzed the impact of environmental degradation on local and Indigenous communities and demonstrated the many linkages connecting those communities to global institutions and processes.

Pete was widely recognized as the foremost authority on the Penan hunter-gatherers in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, on the island of Borneo, among whom he conducted research for four decades. In 2012, he was asked to provide expert witness testimony in a landmark land rights court case to establish Penan land claims. As a result of his testimony, Penan practices related to the management of resources—molong, meaning to preserve or foster—are now recognized in the courts as an additional, legally valid basis for recognition of historical occupation. Last summer, he spent several weeks conducting field research focused on documenting Penan historical occupancy and resource management within Gunung Mulu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Sarawak, Malaysia. Working closely with local community members and local and international NGOs, he helped organize and synthesize research results with the specific aim of synchronizing spatial and genealogical data. His engagement with Penan communities continued throughout his life and remains part of an enduring legacy of research, friendship, and collaboration.

Pete and his wife Sarah also conducted extensive ethnographic research in Bali, Indonesia, where they served as Co-Directors of the Bali & Beyond UGA study abroad program. Their research there explores complex social dynamics wherein many Balinese both depend on tourism and also express profound anxiety about overtourism and the hyper-development that draws on growing foreign and domestic investment. Specifically, they have focused on the Tolak Reklamasi movement, which brought together traditional Hindu religious leaders, environmental organizations, artists, and rock musicians, to counter these developments. Their research draws attention to the links between tourism, fetishism of Balinese culture, and the 1965 Indonesian genocide.

A lifelong surfer, Pete also led the UGA Surfing & Sustainability study abroad program in Costa Rica, and he has conducted ethnographic research there on coastal communities affected by unsustainable rates of tourism growth. This research has contributed to a growing body of scholarship on sustainable surf tourism.

Pete also served as Senior Editor of the Journal of Borneo Kalimantan and was a prolific writer of scholarly articles and books, contributing an enduring body of work to his fields of study.

A service will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, 4355 Lexington Road, Athens, Georgia 30605. Please dress as you wish, in a spirit that honors Pete’s colorful life.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you visit www.kiva.org and support a person or project that calls to your heart.

Lord and Stephens Funeral Home, EAST, Athens, GA is in charge of arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com