معرفی
Dr. Almut Schneider is a Senior Lecturer in Social and Cultural Anthropology at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main and the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano. Her academic career spans over two decades with teaching positions at multiple German and Italian institutions including Free University Berlin, Münster University, Heidelberg University, and Free University Bolzano since 2001. Currently, she leads the Swiss National Science Foundation bi-national research project 'Global pastures - ethnographic explorations of Alpine grassland connections' (2023-2026).
Dr. Schneider earned her PhD in Social Anthropology from École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris in 2011 with her thesis 'Life that comes from elsewhere; Growth, exchanges and rituals in the Papua-New Guinea Highlands.' She previously completed an MPhil in Social Anthropology from the same institution in 1997 and an MA in Social Anthropology, Ancient History, and Philosophy from Free University Berlin in 1996.
Her research focuses on human-environment and human-animal relations, concepts of person and land, value and idea systems, theories of ritual and exchange, and kinship studies. Her work takes a comparative approach across diverse geographical regions including Melanesia (particularly Papua New Guinea highlands), the Austronesian region, and European alpine areas. Dr. Schneider's ethnographic methodology emphasizes long-term fieldwork, having conducted extensive research in Highland Papua New Guinea (1997-1999, 2006, 2013) and more recently in South Tyrol, Italy (2012-2016, 2019-2022) and Switzerland (2023-2025).
Analysis of Dr. Schneider's recent publications reveals a clear trajectory from Melanesian-focused research toward European alpine studies, while maintaining theoretical connections between these seemingly disparate regions. Her work consistently explores human-land relationships, ritual systems, and socio-ecological frameworks, demonstrating how comparative anthropology can bridge geographical divides. The majority of her recent work (2019-2024) examines Alpine communities, particularly high-altitude farming practices, while continuing to publish on Melanesian societies, showing her ongoing commitment to both research areas.
Dr. Schneider has served as co-editor for significant publications including 'New Horizons for the Alps: Ethnographies, reshaping challenges and emerging more-than-alpine relations' (2024) with Elisabeth Tauber and 'Integrating Others – Perspectives from Elsewhere' (2019) with Jos Platenkamp. Her monograph 'La vie qui vient de loin; croissance, échanges et rituel dans les Hautes Terres de la Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée' (2017) represents a major contribution to Melanesian anthropology.
Her fieldwork methodology demonstrates remarkable dedication, with extended periods (up to 18 months) in research locations, allowing for deep cultural understanding. Dr. Schneider's collaborative approach is evident in her work with Elisabeth Tauber on Alpine studies and with Marilyn Strathern on Papua New Guinea research. Her current Swiss National Science Foundation project continues this tradition of international collaboration while addressing pressing questions about human relationships with mountain environments in the context of climate change.
