Prof. Dr. Thomas G. Kirsch

Personal Data

Thomas G. Kirsch is full professor for Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Konstanz. He received his Ph.D. in anthropology from the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) in 2002 and taught for several years at the Department of Anthropology and Philosophy in Halle (Saale) and at the Department of Anthropology at Goldsmiths College, University of London, before coming to the University of Konstanz in 2009.

Office hours


Main Research Interests

Theoretical Orientation

  • praxelology, perfomativity and theorie of communitization
  • infrastructure, materiality, science and technology Studies
  • heuristics und methodology of Social and Cultural Anthropology

Empirical Research

  • 6 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Peru (Alto Purus River, Cashinaua Indians)
  • 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Zambia (Southern Province, especially Gwembe Valley)
  • 13 months of ethnographic fieldwork in South Africa (Eastern and Western Cape Province)

Current Research and Research Cooperations

Editoral Boards

Reviews/reports for research agencies

  • Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR; France)
  • Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
  • Federal Ministry of Education and Research
  • German Research Foundation (DFG)
  • German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
  • Economic and Social Research Council, Great Brittan (ESRC)
  • European Research Council
  • FWF Austrian Science Fund
  • Leverhulme Trust
  • National Research Foundation, South Africa (NRF)
  • Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC; Kanada)
  • Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
  • Swedish Research Council
  • Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
  • Science Council

Reviews/reports for academic journals

  • Africa (Journal of the International African Institute)
  • African Studies Review
  • American Ethnologist
  • Anthropological Theory
  • Anthropology Southern Africa
  • Anthropology Today
  • Comparative Studies in Society & History
  • Ethos
  • Ethnos
  • HAUJournal of Material Culture
  • Journal of Religion in Africa
  • Journal of Religious History
  • Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute
  • Paideuma
  • Sociologus

External PhD/MA examiner

  • School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London
  • University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • University of Cape Town, South Africa
  • University of Pretoria, South Africa
  • University of the Western Cape, South Africa
  • Stellenbosch University, South Africa

 

 Offices

  • Member of the board of directors of the Centre for Cultural Inquiry
    (since January 2023)
  • Member of the extended board of directors of the Centre for Cultural Inquiry
    (2019 until January 2023)
  • Speaker of the board of experts 106 within the German Research Foundation,  "Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft", DFG (since May 2020)
  • Member of the review board for ethnology of the German Research Foundation, DFG (since October 2016)
  • Member of the board of the Cluster of Excellence
    "Cultural Foundations of Social Integration"  (December 2010 until October 2019)
  • Member of the board of the doctoral college "Europe in a globalized world"  (July 2012 until September 2017)
  • Member of the selection committee of the Advanced Study Institute (March 2012 until October 2019)
  • Participating scientist in the graduate school "The Real in Modern Culture"  (September 2010 bis März 2019)
  • Department spokes person (October 2010 until September 2012)
  • Member of the study committee (October 2009 until September 2010; October 2018 until September 2019)
  • Member of the section council (October 2010 until September 2012; October 2015 until September 2019)
  • Member of the department council (October 2010 until September 2018)
  • Dean of Studies of the Humanities Section (October 2013 until March 2014)