Michael Taussig

Michael Taussig (b. 1940) is a renowned anthropologist and professor at Columbia University and The European Graduate School (EGS). His work critiques capitalist cultural narratives through ethnographic studies, blending fact and fiction to challenge academic objectivity. Influenced by Frankfurt School critical theory and post-structuralism, he explores commodity fetishism, colonialism, and the interplay between state power and magical practices.

Education:

• Bachelor's in Medicine, University of Sydney
• PhD in Anthropology, London School of Economics

His research focuses on commodity fetishism (e.g., indigenous rituals in Colombia), colonial terror (shamanism and state violence), and the magic of modern states. Notable works include The Devil and Commodity Fetishism in South America (1980) and Magic of the State (1997).

Articles and books analyze themes like colonialism, shamanism, and the symbolic power of states. His writing style, termed 'fictocriticism,' merges ethnography with narrative experimentation.

Advising & Grants: No specific advisees or grants listed in available texts. His contributions lie in theoretical innovation and ethnographic methodological experimentation.

Labs/Teams: None explicitly mentioned, though collaborations with critical theorists and anthropologists are implied through his interdisciplinary work.