Alban Bensa

About the author

Alban Bensa (1948–2021) was a French anthropologist whose career centered on one of the most distinctive corners of the Pacific world. A director of studies at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS) in Paris, he devoted his scholarly life to the study of New Caledonia and its indigenous Kanak people, making him one of the foremost specialists on that society and culture. Born in Paris, he died there in October 2021, leaving behind a body of work that deepened understanding of Kanak history, identity, and social organization.