Curriculum Vitae
Present Position
Cooperation Partner, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Halle/Saale, Germany
Projects: Anthropology of Investment; Global Markets and Changing Land Use; “Global Neigbhourhood”; “Lands of the Future” Research Group
Academic Education
2012
PhD (Anthropology). Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology and Martin Luther University Halle/Wittenberg, Germany.
Dissertation title: Deciding Peace. Knowledge about War and Peace among the Arbore of Southern Ethiopia
1998/1999
M.A. at the Free University of Berlin (Anthropology, Sociology, Film Science)
M.A. thesis in Anthropology: Zwischen Pragmatik und Zeichensetzung. Zur materiellen Kultur der Arbore von Gondoroba
1991-1996
Studies at the Free University of Berlin, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Marseille, New York University and Tisch School of the Arts in Anthropology, Visual Anthropology, Sociology and Film Science
1988-1991
Biology Studies, Philipps University in Marburg
Affiliation and Academic Research
Since 2013
Coordination of the Lands of the Future Research Network (LOF). An Open Platform to discuss changing land use on agro-pastoralist territories in Eastern Africa
May-July 2015
Hiob Ludolf Professor at the Hiob Ludolf Centre for Ethiopian Studies, Hamburg University, Asia-Africa Institute
2005 -2009
Member of the UNESCO research group of the project: “Ethiopia: Traditional Music, Dance and Instruments” - Intangible Heritage Section in coordination with UNESCO Addis Ababa, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and Sorbonne University, Paris
Since 2000
Researcher of the South Omo Research Center SORC in Jinka, Ethiopia
2000 until August 2006
Research assistant at the SFB 295 „Kulturelle und Sprachliche Kontakte” of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Project C7 “Cultural Contact and Cultural Self Esteem”, University of Mainz with Professor Ivo Strecker and Professor Thomas Bierschenk
Field Research
Ongoing since September 1993
Research in Arbore in Southern Ethiopia on pastoralism, trading networks, material culture, music, bond-friendship, conflict, peace, age-grade systems, clan system, innovation, cultural neigbourhood and cultural change (fieldwork periods in 1993, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2014)
Field research on material culture in Korr, Kenya (2013)
Scholarships/Award
2013
Annual Research Award of the Frobenius-Society for the doctoral dissertation “Deciding Peace. Knowledge about War and Peace among the Arbore of Southern Ethiopia”
1995/1996
Exchange Scholarship (and Fulbright Travel Grant) between Free University of Berlin and New York University at the Program for Culture and Media (Visual Anthropology) and at Tisch School of the Arts (Photography)
1993
KODAK Grant for young Photographers (Nachwuchsförderung)
1993
DAAD fieldwork grant
1992/93
ERASMUS, Studies of „Anthropologie Visuelle“, Hautes Ecole des Etudes en Sciences Sociales (E.H.E.S.S.) Marseille, France
Development Cooperation
October 2004
Logistical and financial conceptualisation for an independent women’s cooperative project in Arbore, Ethiopia: “Sustainable test farming of vegetables to improve the nutritional situation of Arbore people”
2003/2004
Conceptualization and supervision of the Project: "Management of Crisis in cultural Neighbourhood" – A relief aid project after two disastrous floodings in Arbore, Ethiopia
Presentations and Organization of Workshops (Selection)
2016
1/2016
"Whose prize for which price? Insights into investments in Southern Ethiopia". Lecture at the Seminar: ‚Economics in Africa’, Institute for African Studies, Leipzig University, January 18, 2016
2015
12/2015
"Finding an unexpected prize. Oil exploration firms and local communities as global neighbours." Presentation and Panel Discussion at the Horn of Africa Seminar: ‚Challenges ahead: the hydro-agricultural transformation of Ethiopia's lower Omo Valley’ at the University of Oxford, African Studies Centre, Oxford, December 1, 2015
11/2015
„Every story counts – listening to global neighbours. Anthropological approaches to face exclusion of refugees in Germany“. Presentation (together with Markus Virgil Höhne, Laura Breuer und Nikolaus Mezger) at the ‘Werkstatt ‘'Contingencies of Integration in Northern Germany. Ethnographic notes on the situation of refugees in Scharnebeck' , Max-Planck-Institute of Social Anthropology, Halle Saale, November 24, 2015.
10/2015
“The tension between speed and slowness. The conflict potential of rapid development in the Ethiopian peripheries” Presentation at: ‘Violence and dynamic change in eastern Africa: A workshop on trends, dynamics and conditions of violence in the region’, organized by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and Centre for Human Rights Policy Studies (CRIPS), Nairobi, October 12.-13.2015
“Global Neighbours. Encounters of local populations with oil firms in Southern Ethiopia”. Presentation on Expert Panel: ‘Extractives Development and Violence in Eastern Africa’ at the Rift Valley Forum, Nairobi, October 13, 2015.
8/2015
“Power, Peripheries and Land: Development across the last frontiers of Ethiopia” Panel Organization at the ‘19th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies ICES’ in Warsaw, August 24-28, 2015
“The Global Neighbourhood Concept – an Anthropological Approach to Divergent Positions on Development across the Last Ethiopian Frontiers”. Presentation at the ‘19th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies ICES’ in Warsaw, August 24-28, 2015
7/2015
“Globalizing environments in the lowlands of Southern Ethiopia. Terra nullius, home, sacred space, grabbed land, commodity or resource?” Presentation at the ‘6th European Conference on African Studies (ECAS)’ in Paris, July 8-10, 2015.
“Backgrounds of the refugee Crisis - Somalia.” Information event at the Community assembly (together with Markus Höhne). Scharnebeck, Germany, June 16, 2015
6/2015
“Politics and Practices of Gender: empirical and theoretical reflections in ethnographic research” Presentation (together with Anita Schroven and Roberta Zavoretti) at the ‘Werkstatt Max-Planck-Institute of Social Anthropology,’ Halle Saale, June 30, 2015.
2014
12/2014
“Anthropologists and the Global Land Grab in Eastern Africa: Research and Advocacy”. Panel Organization together with John Galaty at the American Anthropological Association 113th Annual Meeting in Washington DC, December 3-7 ,2014
“The Global Neighbourhood Concept – An anthropological approach to investment and large-scale land acquisition in developing countries”. Presentation at the American Anthropological Association 113th Annual Meeting in Washington DC, December 3-7, 2014
7/2014
“Whose Hunger is it? Food Shortage, Waste of Food and Responsibility in a Global Neighbourhood”, Presentation at Realschule I Nordenham, Germany
6/2014
“Globalizing Environments in the Lowlands of Southern Ethiopia”. Presentation at the Conference “Negotiating Concepts of Nature and Future in Africa” at the Bayreuth Academy of Advanced African Studies, University of Bayreuth, Germany June 19-21, 2014
VAD Panel “Lands of the Future” – Pastoralism, Land and Investment in Africa
Panel Organisation (together with Shauna LaTosky): Conference "Future Africa", African Studies Association in Germany (VAD), University of Bayreuth, Germany, June 11-14, 2014
“The Lands of the Future Research Network. Changing Land uses on Agropastoral Territories in Eastern Africa”, Introduction (together with Shauna LaTosky) at the Conference "Future Africa", African Studies Association in Germany (VAD), University of Bayreuth, Germany, June 11-14, 2014
3/2014
“The Lands of the Future Research Network” Presentation at the Symposium “Reconfiguring Landscapes and Bio-cultural Frontiers”, British Institute in Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya March 21-22
2013
5/2013
“Changing identifications, changing alliances and changing territories”, presentation at “Conference on Pastoralism and Border Management Policies”, Djibouti 8-9 May 2013
4/2013
“The Global Neighbourhood Concept. A Chance for Cooperative Development” presentation at “Large Scale Agricultural Investments in Pastoral Lowlands of the Horn of Africa: Implications for Minority Rights and Pastoral Conflicts,” IPSS ( Institute for Peace and Security Studies), Addis Ababa University, 26-27 April 2013
5/2013 “Changing identifications, changing alliances and changing territories”, presentation at “Conference on Pastoralism and Border Management Policies”, Djibouti 8-9 May 2013
2012
10/2012
“Cultural Neighborhood in Ethiopia - An Introduction” (together with Sophia Thubauville) presentation at “18th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies. Movements in Ethiopia / Ethiopia in Movement”, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia 29 Oct. - 2 Nov. 2012.
Panel Organisation (together with Sophia Thubauville): “Concepts of Cultural Neighborhood”
“18th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies. Movements in Ethiopia / Ethiopia in Movement.” Dire Dawa, Ethiopia 29 Oct. - 2 Nov. 2012.
2010
12/2010
“Deciding Peace – A Normative Turn from War to Peace among the Arbore of Southern Ethiopia” presentation at conference: "Norms in Conflict": 2nd International Graduate Conference of the Cluster of Excellence “The Formation of Normative Orders”, 3-5 December 2010, Frankfurt, Germany
8/2010
“Innovative Mothers - Radical Daughters: Agency among Arbore Women (Southern Ethiopia)” presentation at: EASA, 2010: EASA2010: Crisis and Imagination. Maynooth, 24/08/2010 – 27/08/2010
Panel organization (together with Sophia Thubauville): “Gender and Identification in Patrilinear Societies”, at: EASA2010: Crisis and imagination. Maynooth, 24/08/2010 – 27/08/2010
2009
9/2009
“The killer’s song in the quest for peace” Reflections about peace among
the Arbore of Southern Ethiopia” presentation at: “17th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies”, Nov.1- 5, 2009, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
7/2009
“Instigation of violence by women in Arbore, a historical perspective“ presentation at Bayreuth University, Germany
2008
10/2008
“The killer’s song in the quest for peace: reflections about peace
among the Arbore of Southern Ethiopia” presentation at the conference “European awareness of Sustainability in Africa: Issues of Pastoralism, Leuphana University; Lüneburg, Germany
4/2008
“Who owns little is called rich” – Anthropological Perspectives on Concepts of Development, Evolutionism and Cultural Relativism, Elisabeth Gymnasium, Halle, Germany
4/2008
“Anthropologist” – Presentation on Girl’s Day, Elisabeth Gymnasium, Halle,Germany
2007
12/2007
“Luba- Our most powerful” – Insights into the genealogical system of the Arbore, Workshop at the SORC, Jinka, Ethiopia
12/2007
“Perspectives on War and Peace in South Omo”, Workshop with participants from Arbore, Hamar, Konso, Wata and Tsamai in Arbore, Ethiopia
7/2007
“How we let go war”- Women’s perspectives on War and Peace in Arbore- Southern Ethiopia (with Ginno Ballo), 16th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
2006
05/2006
“Antelope skin and Giraffe tail- About the Objects of the Exhibition: Ethiopia and Germany ” (with Ginno Ballo), Grassi Museum for Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
05/2006
„Blood Feud and Trees of Peace –Cultural identity of the Arbore of Southern Ethiopia between their tradition of warfare and the present mediation for peace“, SFB 295, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Germany
2005
5/2005
„Introduction into Geographical and Historical Backgrounds of the Film„Bury the Spear“by Alula Pankhurst and Ivo Strecker” (with Ginno Ballo), Anthropological Film Festival, Anthropological Museum, Berlin, Germany
01/2005
“Music Research and the Role of the South Omo Museum and Research Center in Jinka, Southern Ethiopia for Integrative Research in Ethiopia”, UNESCO Paris, France
2004
12/2004
„People, Sounds, Places - A musical walk through Arbore, Southern Ethiopia”, Grassi Museum for Anthropology Leipzig, Germany
10/2004
Organization of the workshop: “Brothers and Allies - First insight into Karmet - Arbore relationships”, SORC Jinka, Ethiopia
09/2004
„Introduction into Geographical and Historical Backgrounds of the Film„Bury the Spear“ by Alula Pankhurst and Ivo Strecker” (with Ginno Ballo), Ethiopian Days, Mannheim, Germany
07/2004
„Praise and Dismissal in Arbore Songs – Research about Music, Aesthetics and Cultural Contact in Southern Ethiopia" (with Ginno Ballo), Mainz University, Germany
2003
7/2003
“Arbore Soundscape – Remapping Arbore through Music “ (with Ginno Ballo), 15th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies”, Asia-Africa-Institute, University of Hamburg, Germany
05/2003
„About the Present Project Work at the South Omo Research Museum and Research Center- Dealing with Crisis in Cultural Neighbourhood. An integrated aid project in Arbore” (with Susanne Epple), SFB 295 Mainz University, Germany
01/2003
“Music from Arbore” (with Ginno Ballo), Radio feature, “Meridian 13”, Radio Multikulti Berlin, Germany
2002
10/2002
Co-organization of the annual intercultural workshop at the South Omo Research Center: „ The Pride and Social Worthiness of Women in South Omo” (with Susanne Epple), SORC Jinka, Ethiopia
05/2002
“Arbore Soundscape or Stumbling into a new Chapter”, at the „ Meeting Horn of Africa“, Institute for Political Science, Hamburg University, Germany
2001
09/2001
Co-organization of the annual intercultural workshop at the South Omo Research Center: „Convergence and Divergence - The Diversity of Material Culture in South Omo“ (with Susanne Epple), SORC Jinka, Ethiopia