Leipzig Book Fair Prize (Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse)
1 appearances
-
Edition 17 (2021) Winner
Heike Behrend
ハイケ・ベーレント
Haike Behrend
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1947-05-27 （Stralsund, Germany）
- Nationality
- Germany
- Languages
- German, English
- Residence History
- Berlin, Germany (residence since retirement)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Social anthropologist, Media studies scholar
- Active Years
- 1979-
- Affiliations
- University of Cologne (Professor, Institute of African Studies and Egyptology), Universities in Berlin (teaching/visiting positions), University of Bayreuth (habilitation), University of Mainz (teaching history)
- Influenced By
- Nominations
- 2012 nomination for the Amory Talbot Prize (Resurrecting Cannibals)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free University of Berlin | Ethnology/Anthropology (Master's) | Ethnology | Master's | 1970s | Germany |
| Free University of Berlin | Ethnology (PhD) | Ethnology | PhD | 1980s | Germany |
| Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (DFFB) | Documentary filmmaking | Filmmaking | — | 1980-1984 | Germany |
| University of Bayreuth | Habilitation | Ethnology / African Studies | Habilitation | 1992 | Germany |
Free University of Berlin
Ethnology/Anthropology (Master's)
/ Ethnology
Degree:
Master's
Period:
1970s
Year of Graduation:
1973
Country:
Germany
Master's degree in ethnology
Free University of Berlin
Ethnology (PhD)
/ Ethnology
Degree:
PhD
Period:
1980s
Year of Graduation:
1987
Country:
Germany
PhD with thesis on space, time and ritual among the Tugen in Kenya
Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (DFFB)
Documentary filmmaking
/ Filmmaking
Period:
1980-1984
Year of Graduation:
1984
Country:
Germany
Trained in documentary filmmaking
University of Bayreuth
Habilitation
/ Ethnology / African Studies
Degree:
Habilitation
Period:
1992
Year of Graduation:
1992
Country:
Germany
Habilitation with thesis on the Holy Spirit Movement and northern Uganda
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Ernst-Reuter-Prize | PhD thesis | — | Free University of Berlin | winner |
| 2021 | Leipzig Book Fair Prize | Menschwerdung eines Affen (autobiography) | — | Leipzig Book Fair | winner |
Ernst-Reuter-Prize
1987
Work:
PhD thesis
Organization:
Free University of Berlin
Result:
winner
Leipzig Book Fair Prize
2021
Work:
Menschwerdung eines Affen (autobiography)
Organization:
Leipzig Book Fair
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Spirit Possession, Modernity & Power in Africa
1999 Academic monograph (Anthropology)A study and edited volume examining spirit possession and ritual practices in Africa in relation to modernity and power.
spirit possessionritualmodernitypower
Alice Lakwena and the Holy Spirits: War in Northern Uganda, 1985–97
2000 Academic monograph (Ethnography)An ethnographic analysis of Alice Lakwena, the Holy Spirit Movement, and the interplay of religion and war in northern Uganda.
religious movementswarleadershipethnography
Resurrecting Cannibals: The Catholic Church, Witch-Hunts and the Production of Pagans in Western Uganda
2011 Academic monograph (Religion and violence studies)Analyzes how the Catholic Church, witch-hunts, and social processes produced categories of 'pagans' in western Uganda, examining religion and violence.
religionwitch-huntsviolencemodernity
Contesting Visibility: Photographic Practices on the East African Coast
2013 Academic monograph (Photography and media studies)Examines photographic practices on the East African coast and how photography shapes memory, identity, and religious representation.
photographymemoryidentitymedia anthropology
Menschwerdung eines Affen. An Autobiography of Ethnographic Research
2020 Autobiography / Scholarly memoirA reflective autobiography recounting Behrend's experiences as an ethnographic researcher, discussing fieldwork, ethics, and memory.
autobiographyfieldworkresearch ethicsmemory
Translations
- Italian translation available
- Spanish translation available
Bibliography
- Spirit Possession, Modernity & Power in Africa (1999)
- Alice Lakwena and the Holy Spirits. War in Northern Uganda 1985–97 (2000)
- Resurrecting Cannibals (2011)
- Contesting Visibility (2013)
- Menschwerdung eines Affen (autobiography, 2020)
Adaptations
- Ethnographic films such as 'Im Bauch des Elefanten' (1982)
- 'Mary Akatsa, Prophetin' (1989) and other ethnographic films
Translations of Works
- Italian translation of 'Menschwerdung eines Affen'
- Spanish translation of 'Menschwerdung eines Affe n'
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- academic, ethnographic prosedetailed fieldwork-based descriptionanalysis emphasizing media and visual culture
- Recurring Motifs
- photography and visual culturespirits and mediumshipmemory and ritualintersection of religion and violence
Legacy
Behrend has made significant contributions to the study of religion, ritual, and photographic culture in Africa and helped develop the anthropology of media. Her autobiographical work has been critically acclaimed and influential among both scholars and general readers.
Museums
- National Museum of African Art Washington, D.C., United States
- Donations to the Smithsonian Institution (studio portraits of the East African Indian diaspora) Washington, D.C., United States
Academic Societies
- African studies associations (affiliated)
- Media anthropology research groups
Archives
- Smithsonian collections (donated studio portraits)
- University of Cologne archives (research materials)
Trivia
- Won the Leipzig Book Fair Prize in 2021 for her autobiography 'Menschwerdung eines Affen'.
- Co-curated exhibitions on African studio photography shown at the National Museum of African Art and the Wereldmuseum in Amsterdam.
- Donated studio portraits of the East African Indian diaspora to the Smithsonian.