I have published a new article in the new issue of Oñati Socio-Legal Series: Capitalist Property as Epistemic Violence: Ethnographic Museums, Colonial Restitution and the Cosmopolitical Challenge. The article is available open access here: opo.iisj.net/index.p...

Meet the Profs!
Wozu forschen die Profs am Institut für Ethnologie?
Wer kann meine MA- oder BA-Arbeit betreuen?

Lerne Lehrende und Mitstudierende im informellen Rahmen kennen und sammle Inspiration für deine Arbeit. Auch für fortgeschrittene BA-Studierende.

14.10. ab 18:15 im Raum 222, ESA West

Für neue Studierende des M.A. Ethnologie: Einführung am Montag d. 13.10.2025 von 11:00–14:00 Uhr mit Bibliotheksführung und anschließendem gemeinsamen Mensabesuch. Mit Julian Sommerschuh, Jonas Bens und Otto Habeck. Ab 11 Uhr im Seminarraum 221, Institut für Ethnologie, ESA West.

What Moves Us? Affects, Materialities, Politics

We are thrilled and honoured to bring the 2027 conference of the DGSKA to our institute in Hamburg.

Thank you to all participants at the conference in Cologne for your support. We are looking forward to welcoming you all in Hamburg in two years!

Julia Pauli’s latest article has just been published in Anthropology of Consciousness:
“Haunted by Houses: Built and Lived Absences in a Transnational Mexican Community.” Find it (open access) on AnthroSource!

On Sept 20, our Hamburg anthropology team visited the Slavery Museum in Zanzibar Old Town. The site explores the history of enslavement and the Indian Ocean slave trade. The visit is part of our preparation for extended research on materialities, colonialism & enslavement. Photos: Arjunraj

On Sept 19, our colleague Arjunraj (Anthropology, Hamburg) hosted a collaborative storytelling workshop at Ajabu Ajabu screen collective in Dar es Salaam. The workshop explores practices of storytelling beyond boundaries. Photos: Habib

On Sept 18, our Hamburg anthropology team hosted a panel on collaborative museum restitution at Ajabu Ajabu in Dar es Salaam. We discussed decolonizing art & academia with artists and activists, and shared visuals from our 7-year collaboration with Maasai communities. Photos: Arjunraj, Leonie Benker

Kummer und Hoffnung im Harz - Wie Menschen den Wandel ihres Waldes erleben. Interview mit Inga Sievert vom Institut für Ethnologie zu ihrer Promotion im Rahmen des Exzellenzclusters für Klimaforschung CLICCS. Hier zum mitlesen: www.uni-hamburg.de/n...

On Sept 16 we visited the University of Dodoma in Tanzania during our research trip. Our colleague Laibor Kalanga Moko, is both at Hamburg Anthro Dept. and is a Lecturer in Dodoma. UDOM is both an inspiring place of scholarship and has a most beautiful campus. Photos: Arjunraj

Im Gespräch mit @DLF Kultur habe ich die geplante Streichung der Professur für Kunst Afrikas an der FU Berlin kritisiert. Das wäre nicht nur ein Rückschritt für die Stärkung postkolonialer Perspektiven, sondern auch ein fatales politisches Signal im aktuellen Rechtsruck: www.deutschlandfunkk...

On Sept 12, our Hamburg anthropology team visited Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important sites for human history. Here, remains over 2 million years old were found — a powerful reminder that all humans have more in common than we often think. Photos: Arjunraj

On Sept 11, our Hamburg anthro team held a second workshop in Oltukai, Monduli. We discussed colonialism, restitution & Maasai belongings in German museums. Our interlocutors stressed to prioritize Maasai cosmologies regarding their belongings. Photos: Arjunraj, Soipey Parkipuny

On Sept 9–10, our Hamburg anthro team visited En’donyo Olmorwak (Elders’ Hill) in northern Tanzania. Every ~15 years the olng’eherr ritual is held here, when Ilmuran become elders. The site is now encroached by a military base and houses. Photos: Arjunraj, Michael Olekooni Laizer

On Sept 9–10, Laibor Kalanga Moko, Arjunraj, Bille Sachers, Leonie Benker & I held a workshop with Maasai Trad. Leaders in Boma Ng’Ombe, Tanzania on colonialism, museums & restitution, in our collaborative project Contested Property (co-led with Paola Ivanov). Photos: Arjunraj