Talk at the conference "Ritual Journeys" at IWH Heidelberg: "The pilgrimage of Hinglaj Devi in Pakistan:
Hindu Unity in Insha Allah Country"
2011: "The long walk for identity". At: Center for Studies of World Relgions at the Divinity School. Harvard University
2010: "Encountering the border: The pilgrimage to Hinglaj Devi". At: Third International Conference on the Cultural and Historical Legacy of Pakistan. Allaince Francaise. Karachi.
2010: "Moving through meaning" At: Asian Borderlands Conference. Chiang Mai.
2010: "The pilgrimage of Hinglaj Devi in Baluchistan". At: Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS). Paris.
2010: "From minority rights to minority rites". At: "Border Rituals and Transcultural Studies" Symposium. Cluster of Excellence. University of Heidelberg.
Publications
Film
"...on becoming gods"
Article
"The Mother and the Other." Tourism and pilgrimage at the shrine of Hinglaj Devi/Bibi Nani in Baluchistan
Curriculum vitae
Education
University of Heidelberg, PhD Candidate 2013
M.A. (Modern South Asian Languages and Literature, Comparative Religion and Classical Indology) 2009
Thesis: "Die Göttin Hinglaj. Eine Untersuchung unter besonderer Berücksichtigung ihrer Bedeutung für
die jati der Brahmaksatriya" (The Goddess Hinglaj: An Account from the Perspective of the
Brahmaksatriya jati)
Private instruction in Varanasi, India
Coursework in Kashmir Shivaism, Sanskrit (Shiva Sutra) and Hindi 2005
University of Vienna 2001-2004
B.A., Comparative Religion 2004
B.A., Classical Indology 2004
Honours: Stipend for academic excellence from the government of Austria 2003
Work Experience
Visting scholar at the Study of Religion, Harvard University Boston. Spring term 2011
University of Heidelberg, Germany 2006-present
Taught Hindi classes (Beginner and Intermediate levels), Teaching and co-teaching of seminars at the Department of Anthropology ("Concepts of Syncretism. Notions of Mixture and Purity" SS 2011, "Minorities in Pakistan" with Prof. William Sax). Work at the South Asian Institute library. Translation work for the "Lutze" project commissioned by the South Asian Institute library.
Collaborative Research Centre 619, University of Heidelberg, Germany 2007-present
Research Assistant for the Collaborative Research Centre 619 (SFB 619) in the project A7 "Ritualtransfer" (transfer of rituals). Research included the concept of ritual among the first orientalists, especially William Jones and H.T. Colebrooke. Wrote articles in the Encyclopaedia for overseas history (GÜSG), "Royal Asiatic Society" & "Hinduism" (together with Hans Hommes).
Currently contributing researcher in the project A8 "Grenzen, Rituale, Reflexivität". Organisation of conferences on topics like "Ritual journeys", "Nationalism and Rituals" etc.
Cluster of Excellence: "Asia and Europe in a Global Context: Shifting Asymmetries in Cultural Flows", Heidelberg, Germany 2008-2010
Taught Hindi/Urdu course for Junior Professors and PhD Students with particular focus on fieldwork and conversation.
Mannheimer Abendakademie, Mannheim, Germany 2009. Hindi instructor. Taught classes of 5-10 students once weekly. Instruction included speaking, writing and reading, with an emphasis on conversational skills.
