Background
Howell was born in Tinn to physician Finn Oddvar Lie and Lise Thomassen.
Howell was born in Tinn to physician Finn Oddvar Lie and Lise Thomassen.
She studied history at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies and social anthropology at the Oxford University. She investigated social structures in South-East Asia, and made field studes among the Chewong people in Malaya and Lio people in Flores in Indonesia. She was appointed professor at the University of Oslo from 1989.
Chewong of Peninsular Malaysia from 1984.
She co-edited Blod – tykkere enn vann? Betydninger av slektskap i Norge (2001).