Christoph Antweiler

Christoph Antweiler is Professor of Southeast Asian Studies at the Institute of Oriental and Asian Studies (IOA), University of Bonn, and a Principal Investigator in the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS). Since 2008 he has held the chair that combines cultural anthropology with Southeast Asian area expertise, and previously served as Professor for Cultural Anthropology and Director of the Institute at the University of Trier (1996).

Education

• Habilitation and Venia Legendi in General Cultural Anthropology, 1996
• Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology, 1987
• Diploma Studies in Geology and Palaeontology, University of Cologne, 1975–1983

Research Interests

Antweiler’s research centers on dependent economic and personal relations in Southeast Asian work contexts, particularly patron-client chains in Indonesia. He investigates how semi-free labor arrangements emerge through reciprocal obligations and social networks. Parallel streams address human universals and cosmopolitanism, producing major monographs such as Our Common Denominator: Human Universals Revisited (2016). His current work extends into the Anthropocene, exploring geo-anthropological syntheses, human niche construction, and the geologization of culture.

Recent publications trace an arc from urban ethnography in Makassar to planetary-scale reflections on humanity’s geological agency. Articles in 2024–2025 analyze climate change narratives, cultural resonance in times of crisis, and critical assessments of Anthropocene discourse itself.

Scientific Awards & Honors

• Lehrpreis (Teaching Award), University of Bonn, 2014
• Thyssen Foundation Scholarship for Postdoctoral Qualification (Habilitation), 1991–1994
• Member, Academia Europaea, London

Grants, Projects & Advising

Since 2016 Antweiler has led the €1 million Erasmus+ project “Fostering Multi-lateral Knowledge Networks of Transdisciplinary Studies to Tackle Global Challenges”. From 2006–2008 he was spokesperson of the DFG Cluster of Excellence “Social Dependencies and Social Networks”. He has supervised 18 dissertations as principal advisor since 2005 and serves on editorial boards of Revue d'histoire et philosophie religieuses.

Laboratories & Collaborative Networks

While no dedicated laboratory is listed, Antweiler’s research is embedded in the BCDSS research network, the Humboldt-Forum advisory board for non-European collections, and the Hans-Kilian-Preis advisory board, fostering transdisciplinary dialogue across Europe and Southeast Asia.