Daniel Münster

Daniel Münster is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Medicine and Global Health at the Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo. His research lies at the intersection of medical and environmental anthropology, focusing on agrarian crises, ecological health, and more-than-human relations in South India and beyond.

His academic background includes a PhD from LMU Munich (2005) and a Habilitation from Heidelberg University (2019). Prior to joining the University of Oslo in 2020, he held academic positions at Heidelberg, Bielefeld, Halle-Wittenberg, Cologne, and Bremen Universities. His research is deeply interdisciplinary, drawing from science and technology studies, multispecies ethnography, political ecology, and postcolonial theory.

His research interests include:

• Medical and Environmental Anthropology
• More-Than-Human Health (humans, plants, animals, microbes, soils)
• Anthropology of Food, Agriculture, and Fermentation
• Farmer Suicides and Mental Health
• Toxicity, Pesticides, and Chemical Exposure
• Alternative Agriculture (especially Zero Budget Natural Farming)
• Postcolonial Science Studies and South Asia

Daniel Münster's recent publications explore themes of agrarian alternatives, soil health, fermentation, pharmaceuticals, and ecological entanglements. His work consistently engages with questions of knowledge production, environmental justice, and the politics of evidence in contexts of ecological and agrarian crisis. He has contributed to major debates on agronomical pluralism, the science of alternative agriculture, and multispecies affect in Indian farming systems.

He has led significant research initiatives, including the Junior Research Group 'Agrarian Alternatives' at Heidelberg University, and is currently involved in projects such as AnthEM, Transsustain, and research groups on anthropogenic soils, toxicity, and antimicrobial resistance. His work bridges ethnographic depth with theoretical innovation, contributing to both anthropological scholarship and global health discourse.