Curriculum Vitae

Born 18.4.1974, married since 2009 with Alban von Stockhausen, anthropologist, one daughter (born May 2009)

Education

2011 doctoral thesis at the university of Zürich, supervisor Prof. Dr. Michael Oppitz, second Supervisor Prof. Dr. Toni Huber, Humboldt University Berlin („Naga Textiles: Design, Technique, Meaning and Agency of a Local Craft Tradition in Northeast India”)

2001 MA-thesis, supervisor Prof. Dr. Michael Oppitz („Lebende Tote: Zombies und Vampire im Kulturvergleich" / "The living dead: Zombies and vampires in cross-cultural perspective")

1993-2001 Studies in Social and cultural anthropology, musical anthropology and media science at the University of Zürich

Field Research

Current: Field research in Eastern Nepal ("Ritual, Mimesis, Identity: The sakela dance of the Rai in Eastern Nepal")

since 2003 regular field stays in Northeast India/Nagaland („material culture, oral traditions and identity among the Naga" - „Naga textiles")

since 2003 regular field stays in Nepal ("Studies in Kirat Culture")

2002 field stay in Burkina Faso („systems of signs in textile patterns")

1998 field stay in Great Britain („intercultural theatre")

1994 Short field visit in Haiti („traditional healing and voodoo")

Selected work experience and research projects

Current project: Ritual, Mimesis, Identity: The sakela dance of the Rai in Eastern Nepal

2006-2010 scientific staff in the research project „Oral Traditions, Material Culture and Identity among the Naga of Northeast India", funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, headed by Prof. Dr. Michael Oppitz

2007- 2008 scientific staff of the Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich (Curator for collections and exhibition about the Naga)

2002-2006 Scientific assistant of Prof. Dr. Michael Oppitz, University of Zürich (including administrative work and general assistance, and autonomous works in teaching and exhibitions)

2002-2008 Student advisory service for Anthropology at the University of Zürich

2000-2002 Questionnaire-developer for meCon measure & consult GmbH (Statistical survey health care sector)

Selected Teaching

Summer term 2007 Lizentiatsgruppe Prof. Oppitz (advising-group of MA-students)

Summer term 2007 „Mode und Macht" (Proseminar Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich)

Four terms cycle 2003-2005 „Mythos und Objekt" (cycle in four semesters with proseminars and practicas ending in the exhibition „Jenseitswelten" (otherworlds), Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich)

Summer term 2003 „Geheimbünde" (proseminar, Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich)

Summer term 2003 „Einführung in die Visuelle Anthropologie" (Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich)

Winter term 2002/2003 „ethnographic drawings" (proseminar with Alban von Stockhausen, Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich)

Winter term 2002/2003 „Spencer und Gillen – zwei grosse Ethnographen" (seminar by proxy for Prof. Oppitz, Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich)

Winter term 2002/2003 „Portraits von Lokalkulturen: Die Naga" (seminar by proxy for Prof. Oppitz, Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich)

Winter term 2001/2002 speaker for advanced training in intercultural communication of the Fachstelle für Weiterbildung and the Ethnologisches Seminars of the University of Zürich

Exhibitions

2010 “Le voce dei Naga in Onsernone” (curator and organiser of a concert and exhibition event, 23.05.2010) in Mosogno, Switzerland. Organised in cooperation with the Naturstimmenfestival Toggenburg and the Museo Onsernonese, Loco. More informations and press release...

2008 "Naga: Schmuck und Asche" (co-curator, administration, publication, side-events. In cooperation with the Museum of Ethnology Vienna) at the Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich

2005 "Jenseitswelten: Von Geistern, Schiffen und Liebhabern" (curator, supervisor and head of students-group) at the Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich

2005 „Die 14 Dalai Lamas – Tibets Reinkarnationen des Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara" (side-events) at the Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich

2003 „aufrecht, biegsam, leer - Bambus im alten Japan" (administration and marketing) at the Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich

2001 „Robert Powell, Zeichnungen aus dem Himalaya. Himalayan Drawings" (administration and coordination of loans) at the Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich

Selected conference contributions and public speeches

2012 "From social status to ethnic identity and beyond: The ethnic fashion scene in Nagaland" (04.04.2012), ASA12 Conference (Arts & Aesthetics in a Globalising World), JNU New Delhi.

2009 "Mode aus Nagaland: Transformationen traditioneller Textilien" (16.01.2009), Museum der Kulturen Basel

2008 a) „How to represent the Naga in Europe?" (17.01.2008, with Alban von Stockhausen), Asian Borderlands Research Network conference: 'Northeast India and its Transnational Neighbourhood', Guwahati, Assam (India)

2008 b) "The Role of Migration Stories in the Construction of a Collective Naga Identity" (25.05.2008), Conference Origins and Migrations in the Tibeto-Burman Region, Humboldt University of Berlin

2008 c) „Die Schwanzfeder des Nashornvogels: Materielle Kultur, orale Traditionen und Identität bei den Naga Nordostindiens" (1.10.2008), Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich

2008 d) „Textile Welten bei den Ao Naga: Soziale Struktur und Status im Stoff „(15.10.2008), Museum der Kulturen Basel.

2007 „‚modified traditional': Die Textilien der Naga im Spannungsfeld lokaler Vorstellungen von Tradition und Moderne" (24.09.2007), 24. Deutscher Orientalistentag, Freiburg i. B.

2004 "Ethnographic Research in European Universities and the Reception of Culture" (21.9.2004, with Alban von Stockhausen), Jotsoma Science College, Nagaland (India)