Rane Willerslev
Encyclopedia
Rane Willerslev is a Danish
anthropologist who is Professor at the Institute for Anthropology, Archaeology and Linguistics at the University of Aarhus
, in the city of Aarhus
, Denmark
. He is also the director of the Ethnographic Collections at Moesgård Museum
, Denmark. In September 2011, he is taking up the directorship of the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, Norway.
where he was awarded a Master of Arts degree in Visual Anthropology in 1996. His 2003 PhD degree was from the University of Cambridge
. Willerslev’s main field of research has been hunting and spiritual knowledge of the indigenous peoples of Siberia
, amongst whom he lived (along with his twin brother, the evolutionary biologist Eske Willerslev
).
In 2006 and 2010, Willerslev was awarded the ‘Young Elite Researcher’s Awards’ by the Independent Research Councils of Denmark. In 2010, Willerslev gave the Malinowski Memorial Lecture at London School of Economics.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
anthropologist who is Professor at the Institute for Anthropology, Archaeology and Linguistics at the University of Aarhus
University of Aarhus
Aarhus University , located in the city of Aarhus, Denmark, is Denmark's second oldest and second largest university...
, in the city of Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. He is also the director of the Ethnographic Collections at Moesgård Museum
Moesgård Museum
The Moesgård Museum is a museum located in Højbjerg, a suburb of Aarhus, Denmark. The museum is housed partially in the historic Moesgård manor, newer facilities built for the purpose of the museum and a large open portion of the museum surrounds the facilities...
, Denmark. In September 2011, he is taking up the directorship of the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, Norway.
Studies
Willerslev studied at the University of ManchesterUniversity of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
where he was awarded a Master of Arts degree in Visual Anthropology in 1996. His 2003 PhD degree was from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. Willerslev’s main field of research has been hunting and spiritual knowledge of the indigenous peoples of Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, amongst whom he lived (along with his twin brother, the evolutionary biologist Eske Willerslev
Eske Willerslev
Eske Willerslev is a Danish evolutionary biologist notable for his pioneering work on Ancient DNA. He is currently a full professor at Copenhagen University and leader of the Ancient DNA and Evolution Group. He has received the Genius Award of Danish Science journalists for his combination of...
).
Academic appointments
From 2004 to 2006 Willerslev had been associate professor at the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology in the Department for Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester. In 2006 he was appointed associate professor at the University of Aarhus and in 2010 he was given a full professorship. In September 2011 he begins the job of director of the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo.Publications
The author of several scientific papers, chapters in books and newspaper articles, including contributions on vision and visiology, animism, phenomenology and other anthropological topics, he has also brought out books: Hunting and Trapping in Siberia, which appeared in 2000; Soul Hunters: Hunting, Animism and Personhood among the Siberian Yukaghirs, published in 2007, and a popular book På flugt i Sibirien (On the Run in Siberia), published in 2009. Since 2007, Willerslev has been the editor of Acta Borealia: Nordic Journal of Circumpolar Societies.In 2006 and 2010, Willerslev was awarded the ‘Young Elite Researcher’s Awards’ by the Independent Research Councils of Denmark. In 2010, Willerslev gave the Malinowski Memorial Lecture at London School of Economics.