claudia.lang[at]ethnologie.lmu.de
Since 2012 post-doctoral researcher at the Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich: Project leader of the project ‘The local reality of depression: Depression in the context of biomedicine and subjectivities of depression in Kerala, South India’, funded by the German Research Foundation (LA 3225/1-1)
2009-2011 post-doctoral researcher at the Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich: Research staff for the project ‘Glocalizing depression in the context of Ayurvedic psychiatry in Kerala, South India’ (HE 2034(18-1)
2007-2008 Lecturer at the Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich
2006 – 2007 Postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich for the pilot project: Local reception and transformation of the concept of depression in the medical pluralism of South Asia, funded by Hochschul- und Wissenschaftsprogramm (HWP), Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich
2006 Promotion. Dissertation: ‘Intersexuality. People between the sexes’, LMU Munich
2001 Magister Artium in social and cultural anthropology, philosophy and social psychology.
Research Interests
Psychiatrice Anthropology; transcultural psychiatry; depression; Ayurveda; biopsychiatry; medical pluralism.
Research Area(s)
South Asia (India); Germany.
Publications
Monographs and Edited Volumes
2006. ‘Intersexualität. Menschen zwischen den Geschlechtern’. Frankfurt/New York: Campus.
Journal Articles (peer-reviewed)
2013. (with Eva Jansen) ‘The Ayurvedic Appropriation of Depression: Biomedicalizing Ayurvedic Psychiatry’. In: Medical Anthropology 32(1).
2012. (with Eva Jansen) ‘Transforming the Self and Healing the Body through the Use of Testimonies in a Divine Retreat Centre, Kerala’. In: Journal of Religion and Health 51 (2): 542-551.
2012. ‘Ayurvedische Pillen gegen Depression – Die Kommoditisierung ayurvedischer “Antidepressiva”’. In: Curare 35 (3): 177-185.
2010. (with Eva Jansen) ‘Depression und die Revitalisierung ayurvedischer Psychiatrie in Kerala, Indien’, Curare 33 (3+4).
2008. (with Ursula Kuhnle-Krahl) ‘Intersexuality and Alternative Gender Categories in Non-Western Cultures’. In: Hormone Research 69(4): 240-250.
Chapters in Edited Books
2009. (with Ursula Kuhnle-Krahl) ‘Zwischen den Geschlechtern, zwischen den Kulturen – Intersexualität’. In: Reiner Frank (ed.): Kinder zwischen den Kulturen. Migration, Integration und seelische Gesundheit. Marseille Verlag.
2008. ‘Konflikte um den intersexuellen Körper. “Embodied experiences”’. In: Höhne, Sven and Rainer Finke (eds.): Intersexualität bei Kindern. pp. 124-127. Bremen: Uni-Med.
Conference Presentations
2013. ‘Neurochemie, doshas, Geister und public mental health: Die Glokalisierung der Depression in Kerala’, Presentation at the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Ludwig Maximilian University, München.
2013. ‘Engaging depression in the mental health pluralism of Kerala, India’, Presentation at the Conference ‘Encounters and Engagements. Creating New Agendas for Medical Anthropology’, EASA Medical Anthropology Network und AAA Society for Medical Anthropology, Tarragona.
2012. ‘Neurochemistry, doshas and spirits: Depression in the theory and practice of a Christian Ayurvedic psychiatrist in South India’, Presentation at the 15th Conference of Medical Anthropology: Beyond Boundaries: Interstices in Medical Anthropology, Wien.
2012. ‘From possession to mental disorder and back. (Re-)Inventing and positioning ayurvedic psychiatry in the mental health pluralism of Kerala’, Presentation at the 22. European Conference on South Asian Studies, Lissabon.
2011. ‘Ayurvedische Pillen gegen Depression – Die Kommoditisierung ayurvedischer “Antidepressiva”’. Vortrag im Rahmen des Panels ‘Kommodifizierung und Authentizität von Gesundheit und Heilung’, Meeting of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Völkerkunde, Wien.
2011. ‘From possession to mental disorder. (Re-)Inventing and positioning Ayurvedic psychiatry in the mental health pluralism of Kerala’, Presentation at the EASA Medical Anthropology Network Conference, Rom.
2011. ‘Die lokale Aneignung der Depression in Kerala’. Presentation at the Institute of Anthropology, University of Münster.
2011. ‘The Social Life of Depression in Kerala’. Presentation at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Psychological Anthropology, AAA, St. Monica.
2009. ‘Depression und die Revitalisierung ayurvedischer Psychiatrie in Kerala, Indien’. Presentation at the 22. Fachkonferenz Ethnomedizin der AGEM ‘Kultur, Medizin und Psychologie im Trialog II’.
2009. ‘Fighting with rajas and tamas. – Ayurvedic mimicry of allopathic psychiatric science. The case of depression’. Presentation at the AG Medical Anthropology Working Group, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg.
2009. (with Eva Jansen) ‘Glocalizing depression in an ayurvedic mental hospital in Kerala, India’. Presentation at the DGV Meeting, Frankfurt.