about me


ulrich.demmer(at)lmu.de

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Prof. Ulrich Demmer

 

As an anthropologist and activist I am engaged in the anthropology of socio-ecological movements and transformation processes towards strongly sustainable "good" ways of living and societies.  I am researching, teaching/facilitating courses, and writing with, in and for what is called the „pluriverse“: the multitude of movements and projects for socio-ecological transformation worldwide - such as Degrowth in Europe, Radical Ecological Democracy (India), Buen Vivir (Ecuador), community gardening, solidary economies, communal housing projects etc..

In particular I am interested in concepts and practices of a ’good life', that is the ethics and politics of strongly sustainable economies, also with theorizing and practicing activist or performative anthropology, or what is called the ’ontological politics of science’. I am an active member of the Degrowth movement, it's working group on "Degrowth and Research" and I am also engaged in grass-roots Degrowth initiatives (e.g. communal housing, food-coop), in the organization of Climate-Camps and in the Degrowth Summer Schools in Germany.

Until 2010 I did longterm fieldwork over 12 years in South India, with and among a group of Adivasi indigenous people called Jenu Kurumba. I studied the egalitarian, non-hierarchical  social organization, the non-capitalist sharing economy, the ethics of a good life, and the poetcis and rhetorics of ritual performances among the community in relation to the state and to other people in the region, thus situating my research in the increasingly globalized locality marked by intersectional power relations among Adivasi people, the state, and translocal actors and agencies. One major insight of that work, described in my book „Towards Another Reason“ was the importance of practical reason for people/communities striving for a good life, for the ethico-politics of communities or the state, and also for anthopological theory and approaches to the cultural value - oriented dimensions of a good social life.

Since 2011 these insights on the importance of ethical practical reason for promoting/building strongly sustainable societies - along with other political motives - let to my current present day concern with the ‚Pluriverse‘ and the way we do (or fail to) shape social life in qualitative ethical terms of a good life for all. Empirically after more than a decade of fieldwork in South India I am now working predominantly in Europe.

I teach at the LMU Munich, (and also taught as director of the Institute at Leipzig University), both at the Institutes of Social and Cultural Anthropology, with a focus on courses such as  "The anthropology of the pluriverse (Parts I, II, III)" and "Activist Research/Engaged Anthropology". (see below), anthropological knowledge production, socio-ecological movements and ethical anthropology.


Writings (selected)

Books

2022. Movements of the Pluriverse. Shaping key domains of the socio-ecological transformation (South and North). 160 pp. Forthcoming. Ms.. Outline is available  on demand.
 
2016. Towards Another Reason. Identity Politics and Ethical Worlds in South India. London, New York, New Delhi: Oxford University Press. 417 pages. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/towards-another-reason-9780199466818?cc=de&lang=en&

2006 Rhetorik, Poetik Performanz: Das Ritual und seine Dynamik bei den Jēnu Kurumba (Südindien). Mit interaktiver Multimedia CD‑ROM. Berlin. Muenster, London: LIT Verlag.

Edited book
2007 (mit M. Gaenszle) eds. The Power of Discourse in Ritual Performance. Berlin, Münster, London. LIT Verlag: Berlin, Münster, London.


Articles, bookchapters, podcasts
 
2023 Performative Wissenschaft (für die sozial-ökologische Transformation).  Eine Einführung. Wissenschaftsladen Leipzig eV..  (Performative science; for the socio-ecological transformation. An introduction.) https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthias-petzold/episodes/Wie-produzieren-wir-Wissen--Teil-1-Performative-Wissenschaft-fr-die-sozial-kologische-Transformation-e2cacbo

2022. What does it mean to politicize the Good Life?: Strong Sustainabilty and the Socio-Ecological Transformation. Unpublished ms. (forthcoming. Abstract available  on demand. Please contact the author).
 
 2022. What's wrong with academic (neoliberal) knowledge production today? A report from the "field" in Germany.  (forthcoming. Abstract available on demand. Please contact the author).
 
2018. Was ist „aktivistische Forschung“ in, mit und für Degrowth? Fragestellungen, Reflexionen, partielle Antworten. (What is "Activist Research" in, with and for Degrowth? Queries, Reflections, partial Answers). Forschungsjournal Soziale Bewegungen. 2018/Heft4: Jenseits von Wachstum, Kapitalismus und Industrialismus: Utopie, Konturen und Spannungen des Degrowth-Spektrums. http://forschungsjournal.de/jahrgaenge/2018heft4


2017. (with Agata Hummel). Degrowth, Anthropology, and Activist Research: The Ontological Politics of Science. In Degrowth, Culture, and Power. Edited by Lisa Gezon and Susan Paulson. Special Section of Journal of Political Ecology 24: 611-622. http://jpe.library.arizona.edu/volume_24/Demmer.pdf
2015. 'Agent Plus' and 'Practical Reasoner': A Comparative Study of the Ethical Person. Ethnos: Journal of Anthropology, Vol. 80 (1): 91-116. http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/4NJm7iAURuNU4xfQKfsm/full
2015b. Performance/Performativity. In Brill’s Vocabulary for the Study of Religion. Edited by Robert A. Segal and Kocku von Stuckrad . Brill: Leiden; pp. 1-7. http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/browse/vocabulary-for-the-study-of-religion

2014a. The Poetics and Politics of Practical Reason: Indigenous Identity, Ritual Discourse and the Postcolonial State in the Northern Nilgiris (South India). Asian Ethnology, Vol. 73 (1–2):111-137. http://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/4357
2014b Jenu Kurumba Culture: A Tradition of Ethical Argumentation. Eastern Anthropologist, Spring 2014, pp.1-27.

2013 'Agent Plus' and 'Practical Reasoner'. A comparative study of the ethical Person. Ethnos. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00141844.2013.817461

2013 Text, Drama und performativer Diskurs. Ethnologische Ritualtheorien der Gegenwart. In Iris Gerlach und Dietrich Raue (Hrsg.), Sanktuar und Ritual. (Menschen — Kulturen — Traditionen. Studien aus den Forschungsclustern des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts. Band 10.). Rahden/Westfalen, 247-259.

2012 Jēnu Kurumba (Religion). In Paul Hockings (ed.), Encyclopedia of the Nilgiri Hills. New Dehli: Manohar.

2012 Jēnu Kurumba (Society). In Paul Hockings (ed.), Encyclopedia of the Nilgiri Hills. New Dehli: Manohar.

2010 Social Representations ‘In Between’: Concepts of Society and Community in Orissa and Beyond. In H. Kulke and G. Berkemer (eds.), Centres out There? Facets of Subregional Identities. New Delhi: Manohar. Pp. 419-439.

2009 Models of Social Life in Tribal India. In G. Pfeffer und D. K. Behera (eds.), Structure and Exchange in Tribal India and Beyond. Contemporary Society Tribal Studies. Vol. 8. New Delhi: Concept Publishers. Pp. 266-281.

2008 Contested Modernities in the “Tribal Zone”: The Post-Colonial State, Adivasi Politics and the Making of Local Modernity in the Northern Nilgiris (South India). Zeitschrift für Ethnologie, Bd. 133 (2): 257-282.

2007a The Power of Rhetoric: Persuasion and Dialogue in the Healing Rituals of a South Indian Community. In U. Demmer and M. Gaenszle (eds.), The Power of Discourse in Ritual Performance. LIT Verlag: Berlin, Münster, London. pp. 26-54.

2007b 'Introduction' (mit M. Gaenszle). In U. Demmer and M. Gaenszle (eds.), The Power of Discourse in Ritual Performance. LIT Verlag: Berlin, Münster, London. pp. 1-24.

2006a An Sanesvaras Schrein. Lokale Modemität und Adivasi ‑ Politik in den nördlichen Nilgiris (Südindien). Journal Ethnologie 5 (www.journalethnologie.de).


Workshops/classes (in and for socio-ecological movements) (selected)
 
With the "Colectivo Escobar" of Universities of Leipzig and the LMU: The Pluriverse: Socio-ecological movements in the global- South and North. Class at the 'Public Climate School', online, LMU Munich. May 2020.
 
"Socio-ecological transformation in the global South and global North. Movements, projects, initiatives and the good life for all." Workshop at "Globe", Berlin 2019.
  
"Post-Development - Visions from the Global South." 4 day Course/workshop (with Katerina Brandes) at the Degrowth Summer School, Climatecamp LeipzigerLand 2018.
 
"Activist/Militant Research in and for Degrowth." 4 day course/workshop at the Degrowth Summer School, Climatecamp Rheinland 2017.
 
"Activist Research". 4 day Course/workshop (with Agata Hummel) at
Degrowth Summer School at the CTA/Autonmous University Barcelona. 2016.
 

Talks/presentations 2020- 2019 (selected)

Ethics and the Ontological Politics of Engaged (Social/Cultural) Anthropology:Activist Research in Climate Justice Movements. Invited talk at 'Ethics Seminar Series', Max Plank Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology & University of Leipzig. 25th November 2019.

Engaging Anthropology for a Strong Sustainable Future: Activist Research in, with and for Degrowth. Invited talk at Anthropological Colloqium at ISEK - Department of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies,  University of Zurich. 8th October 2019.

The Politics of Engaged Anthropology. Activist Research for a strong Sustainable Future in, with and for Degrowth. Invited talk at Colloqium 'Anthropology for the Future.' Max-Planck Institute for Social Anthropology. Halle. 14th May 2019. 

 "Cultural Repertories of Politicization in Degrowth Alternative Building". The 6th International Degrowth Conference for ecological sustainability and social equity. Malmoe, Sweden, 18th-25th August 2018.

 "Towards a Tool Kit for Activist Research on Degrowth: An Anthropological Approach." Degrowth Conference 2016, Budapest. Special session on 'Empowering Communities', 5th September, 2016, Budapest, Corvinus University, Hungary

"Degrowth' Transformations: Transition Initiatives and the Micro-Politics of Becoming in Europe.' Presentation @/for 'Transition Town Heidelberg', Breidenbach Studios, Heidelberg. 17th November 2015. 

Rhizomes, Adivasi and the Ethical Politics of Becoming. A 'Cartographic' Approach to Subaltern 'Adivasi' Micro-Politics. ECSAS (European Conference on South Asian Studies) Zurich, 23rd July 2015.


Lectures (weekly, selected), at the Institutes of Cultural/Social Anthropology at LMUniversity Munich & University of Leipzig.


The Pluriverse. The anthropology of socio-ecological movements and transformation processes in the global- South and North.   Summerterms 2021 and 2022 (Institute of Cultural/Social Anthropology, Leipzig), summerterm 2022 (Institute of Cultural/Social Anthropology, LMU Munich)
 
Performance, Ritual, Spirituality.   Winterterm 2021 & 2022 (Leipzig)
 
The Anthropology of socio-ecological transformation movements. Summerterm 2017 (LMU)

Introduction into anthropological constructionism. Summerterm 2008; Winterterm 2015 (LMU)

Introduction into Social/Cultural Athropology. Winterterm 2006 (LMU)

Contested Culture: Contemporary Cultural Theory and its Critique. Summerterm 2006 (LMU)

Nation-State and Local Cultures: Political Imagination and Social Praxis. Summerterm 2005 (LMU)



Courses/seminars/classes (after 2012 only, selected), at the Institutes of Cultural/Social Anthropology at LMUniversity Munich & University of Leipzig.


Collaborative Knowledge Production: Collectives, Epistemologies, Ontologies. 

Examples form thr global south (and the north)
Parts I & II                                                                       WS 2021 & SS 2022, Leipzig and Munich

                                                    

Methods in Anthropology: Activist Research

SS 2021, Institute of Social Anthropology, University of Leipzig.

Anthropology in the Anthropocene


 The Anthropology of the 'Pluriverse', Part I. 4.


The Anthropology of New Social Movements.


What is a good life (for all)? Anthropological Perspectives and Case Studies.


Anthropology of socio-ecological Movements. Part I: Ethics/Values, Solidary Economy & the Politicisation of Sustaninbility.

The Anthropology of the 'Pluriverse':  Part 1, 2, and 3. Socio-ecological movements, transition discourses & grass-roots transformations.

Activist Research and socio-ecological movements/transformations.

After Geertz: Kulturkonzepte der
Gegenwart.


Ethnographien Politischer Ökologie.           

Ethnologie der Ethik (Systematik)                                   
Ethnologie der Ethik (Grundlagen und Geschichte)


 
 
SS 2020, Institute of Social Anthropology, University of Leipzig.


 SS 2020, Institute of Social Anthropology, University of Leipzig


  SS  2020, Institute of Social/Cultural Anthropology, LMU Munich.

  WS 2019/20, Institute of Social Anthropology, University of Leipzig.


WS  2019/20 Institute of Social/Cultural Anthropology, LMU Munich.


WS 2018/19 Institute of Social Anthropology, University of Leipzig. 


2016-2017, Institute of Social/Cultural Anthropology, LMU Munich&  Rachel Carson Centre, Munich.

WS 2016/17; Institute of Social/Cultural Anthropology, LMU Munich.

SS 014


WS 2013/14 WS 2012/13

WS 2011/12