Rune Flikke

Rune Flikke is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Oslo. He holds a PhD in Social Anthropology titled 'Curing the Ills of History: From Colonial Public Health to Hygiene and Healing in Contemporary South African Independent Churches'. His research focuses on the intersection of medical anthropology, colonial history, and religious practices, particularly among Zulu communities in South Africa and Malawi.

Flikke’s work examines how colonial-era health discourses influenced racial segregation policies, and how modern religious rituals mediate between colonial sanitary practices and contemporary social realities. Key themes include air and atmosphere as material and symbolic elements in healing practices, the role of introduced species like eucalyptus trees in colonial health strategies, and the global political ecology of immunization programs.

He has contributed to major projects such as 'AnthEM: Medical and Environmental Anthropology for East Africa in the 21st century' and 'Global Trout', exploring invasive species and environmental histories. Flikke teaches courses on ethnographic methods, medical anthropology, and the history of anthropological theory.

His publications span topics from Zulu Zionist rituals to Malawi’s immunization challenges, with a focus on how environmental and health practices reflect deeper socio-political structures. Current research includes a project in Malawi examining frontline healthcare workers and vaccination coverage.