Eleanor Schaumann

Eleanor Schaumann is a Researcher at the University of Bayreuth, affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology. She serves as a research associate in the Cluster of Excellence 'Africa Multiple: reconfiguring African Studies,' focusing on the 'Karakul Circulations' project. Her work examines colonial histories, human-animal relations, and the intersection of power, knowledge, and species boundaries across Germany, Namibia, and South Africa.

Education:

• 2016–2019: Master of Arts in Social and Cultural Anthropology, Freie Universität Berlin
• 2012–2016: Bachelor of Arts in Regional Studies (Asia/Africa), Humboldt-Universität Berlin
• 2014–2015: Studied abroad at Fudan University, Shanghai

Research Focus:

Eleanor's research investigates the role of domestic animals (e.g., Karakul sheep) in colonial and postcolonial contexts, analyzing their impact on economies, scientific controversies, and racialized epistemologies. Her transdisciplinary approach integrates historical, ethnographic, and feminist/postcolonial STS frameworks, exploring how these circulations challenge conventional boundaries of race and species. The project contributes to reconfiguring African Studies by emphasizing Africa's multiplicity and the fluidity of colonial knowledge systems.

Awards/Grants:

No specific awards or grants listed.

Advising:

No advisees listed.

Labs/Teams:

Participates in the 'Africa Multiple' Cluster of Excellence and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams studying colonial legacies and multispecies relations.