معرفی
Philipp Zehmisch is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the South Asia Institute (SAI) of Heidelberg University since October 2020. His academic journey includes a prior role as Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) from 2018 to 2020. His work intersects Political Anthropology, Critical Migration Research, and Postcolonial Studies, with a focus on contested spaces in South Asia. Current projects include studying border dynamics in Pakistan and environmental anthropology in the Margallah Hills National Park.
- Research Pillars: Partition Studies, Borderland Ethics, Indigenous Rights
- Leadership Roles: Led international research seminars and student exchanges in Pakistan
- Funding: Awarded grants by Heidelberg University’s Cluster of Excellence and Flagship Initiative 'Transforming Cultural Heritage'
His work critically examines the long-term effects of the 1947 Partition of British India, focusing on how borders shape ethnic, religious, and cultural divisions. Recent fieldwork spans urban centers like Lahore and Islamabad, as well as peripheral regions such as Baltistan and Cholistan, where he analyzes subaltern communities’ strategies for cross-border collaboration and resistance. He also contributes to environmental anthropology through studies on conservation conflicts in Pakistan’s national parks and their ties to indigenous land rights.
- Key Projects
- 'Drawing the Line: Frontiers, Borders and Boundaries in Contemporary Pakistan'
- 'Rewinding Capital Territory: Conservation, Urban Development and Indigenous Rights in Margallah Hills National Park'
- International Research Seminar 'Heritage Conservation in Postcolonial Pakistan'
Philipp’s research bridges disciplines like Anthropology, Political Ecology, and Cultural Heritage Studies, emphasizing the interplay between state governance and grassroots ethical practices. He is actively involved in academic collaborations between Heidelberg University and Pakistani institutions, including Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and Quaid-e-Azam University.
