معرفی
Dr. Baktygul Shabdan is a Teaching and Research Associate in the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at Goethe University Frankfurt. Her research focuses on Central Asia, particularly Kyrgyzstan, and explores themes such as childhood, personhood, Islam, Sufism, and medical anthropology. She holds a PhD (2017) and MSc (2009) in Social Anthropology from Goethe University and the University of Edinburgh, respectively. Dr. Shabdan has conducted extensive fieldwork in Kyrgyzstan, examining topics like post-Soviet identity, religious revival, and healthcare practices. She has authored/co-authored numerous publications, including monographs and edited volumes, and has organized international workshops and conferences on themes such as religion and social media. Her work bridges ethnographic methods with critical analyses of cultural and political dynamics in Central Asia.
Research collaborations include partnerships with institutions like the American University of Central Asia and the University of Isfahan. Dr. Shabdan teaches courses on Islamic anthropology, medical systems, and Central Asian studies, emphasizing cross-cultural perspectives. She has secured grants from the Johanna Quandt Young Academy and DAAD, supporting her research on childhood, health, and socio-cultural transformations.
Key research interests include the anthropology of childhood, medical pluralism, and the interplay between traditional and biomedical practices in Kyrgyzstan. Her recent work explores the ethical challenges in ethnographic research involving children and the role of digital platforms in religious engagement among Muslim youth.
