Tobias Haller

Professor Tobias Haller is a Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Bern's Institute of Social Anthropology and CDE, and a lecturer at ETH Zurich. He holds a PhD and Habilitation from the University of Zurich, with studies in social anthropology, geography, and sociology. His research focuses on economic and ecological anthropology, particularly land grabbing, commons grabbing, green energy infrastructure impacts, and participatory approaches to decentralized energy solutions. He has conducted fieldwork in Cameroon and Zambia.

Key research areas include neo-liberal agrarian development, socio-ecological changes, and local responses to mega-infrastructure projects. His work emphasizes the interplay between global policies and local resilience, with projects addressing SDGs and commons management. Recent studies analyze 'green energy grabbing' in Africa and Europe, exploring conflicts over land rights and environmental governance.

His publications highlight theoretical frameworks such as New Institutionalism and Political Ecology, alongside empirical analyses of land tenure, protected areas, and mining impacts. Collaborations include co-authors from the University of Bern, Zurich, Perth, and Rotterdam.

Advising and grants focus on interdisciplinary projects like the 'Land and Commons Grabbing' initiative. His team investigates how local communities navigate neo-liberal development pressures, with a special emphasis on participatory institution-building and anti-politics machines.

He leads research at the Institute of Social Anthropology, contributing to global debates on sustainable resource management and socio-ecological justice.