Michael Jackson is internationally renowned for his work in the field of existential anthropology. He is a leading figure in contemporary philosophical anthropology and widely praised for his innovations in ethnographic writing. In New Zealand, he is best known for his poetry and creative nonfiction (Latitudes of Exile was awarded the Commonwealth Poetry Prize in 1976, and Wall won the New Zealand Book Award for Poetry in 1981). Michael Jackson has done extensive fieldwork in Sierra Leone since 1969, and has carried out anthropological research in Aboriginal Australia, Europe, and New Zealand. He has taught in universities in New Zealand, Australia, the United States (where he was College Professor at Indiana University, Bloomington, 1988-1996), Denmark (as a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Copenhagen), and at Harvard Divinity School where he is currently Distinguished Visiting Professor of World Religions. His most recent books include Being of Two Minds (poetry) and Life Within Limits: Well-Being in a World of Want (anthropology), both published in 2011. His memoir, The Accidental Anthropologist, was published to critical acclaim in 2006.