Cornelia Brink

Prof. Cornelia Brink is an Associate Professor at Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, specializing in Visual History and Historical Anthropology. She coordinates the MA Interdisciplinary Anthropology and leads projects in the Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 948 on heroes and heroism. Her research focuses on photography’s role in historical narratives, gender history, and the social history of psychiatric institutions. She has held leadership roles since 2012 and completed her habilitation in 2008. Notable works include Grenzen der Anstalt (2010) and contributions to interdisciplinary education. Brink advises doctoral students and serves on editorial boards for journals like Zeithistorische Forschungen. Her recent work explores gender-sensitive historiography and the visual culture of heroism.

• Education:
• Magister Artium in Folklore Studies (1989)
• Habilitation in Modern History and Historical Anthropology (2008)

Research interests span visual history, memory studies, and the intersection of gender and heroism. Recent articles analyze photography’s emotional impact and historical discourse on masculinity. Brink has supervised two doctoral candidates and actively participates in academic committees, including the German Society for Photography (DGPh).

Her publications include monographs on psychiatric history and edited volumes on masculinity and violence. She is a member of the Center for Anthropology and Gender Studies and advises the university museum. Current projects investigate interdisciplinary teaching strategies and the role of gender in hero narratives.