Helmar Kurz

Helmar Kurz is a Lecturer and program coordinator for the BA in Cultural and Social Anthropology at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster. He specializes in trans/cultural psychiatry, medical ethnology, and ritual theory. His research focuses on Brazilian Spiritism, mental health care systems, and embodied practices.

He holds an MA (2009) and PhD (2010) from Münster, with a focus on Spiritism & Psychiatry in Brazil. He has been a DFG-funded researcher (2015) and holds the NRW teaching certification (2016). His work bridges anthropology of religion, medical anthropology, and performance studies.

Recent courses include 'Global Mental Health' and 'Transcultural Psychiatry.' Key research themes involve therapeutic landscapes in Brazil, hybrid healthcare systems, and the intersection of ritual performance with mental health.