معرفی
Dr. Katherine Swancutt is a Reader in Social Anthropology at King’s College London and Director of the Religious and Ethnic Diversity in China and Asia Research Unit (REDCARU). She leads the ERC Synergy Grant project 'Cosmological Visionaries,' exploring climate change visions among animistic communities in China and Russia. Her research focuses on cosmology, ecology, shamanism, and animism, with regional expertise in China, Mongolia, and Buryatia. Swancutt has authored or edited four books, including Demons and Gods on Display and Crafting Chinese Memories, and publishes extensively on divination, ritual, and environmental anthropology.
REDCARU, established in 2016, collaborates with Yunnan Normal University and Yunnan Minzu University in China. Swancutt teaches anthropology of religion and supervises PhD students conducting long-term ethnographic fieldwork in Asia. She has received a £6m ERC grant for her pioneering work linking cosmological visions to climate change initiatives. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates art, film, and storytelling, as seen in exhibitions like 'Vital Signs: Another World is Possible.'
Swancutt’s research bridges indigenous knowledge with scientific frameworks, emphasizing the role of animistic practices in addressing ecological challenges. She is a leading voice in animism studies, contributing to debates on ontology and reflexivity in anthropology. Her work highlights the interplay between cultural memory, materiality, and environmental adaptation.
