Why did you choose to exchange to UiO?
The anthropology department at the University of Oslo provides a lively intellectual environment for scholars working in environmental anthropology, coastal development, and maritime anthropology. I chose to visit UiO through the INTPART project, especially because the Anthropology department had a research collective of scholars who study port cities and infrastructures through relationships between labor, finance, economy, and the environment, which was closely related to my research. I thought the project's focus on environmental anthropology and the group of maritime anthropologists who were already doing research at the department would give me opportunities to build conversations across different subfields.
What has been the academic focus during your stay/what have you been working on?
During my stay, I drafted the first three chapters of my dissertation and exchanged knowledge and research inputs with scholars who work in similar contexts. I had the chance to formally workshop these chapters with the faculty and students at the Department of Anthropology, which I have greatly benefited from. I also made connections beyond the Department of Anthropology during my stay. I got help from scholars who work on natural history close to my field site in correcting translations I have been using in my dissertation. The project generously allowed me to make connections across different faculty and students.
What have been the benefits of your stay, both in relation to work and your wider professional development?
I was able to meet faculty and students who work on closely related subjects to my dissertation projects. During my stay, I built lasting relationships with scholars who have similar research interests. In addition, I was introduced to new ways of thinking about my research thanks to the diverse intellectual interests of the members of the anthropology department. These encounters helped me reconsider the framing of my project. These encounters prepared me to grow as a scholar who can make connections across multiple sites and contribute to various areas of study.
Any surprising outcomes of your stay?
Although I didn’t plan for it, I was able to attend a major shipping conference in Oslo because it was taking place during my time in the UiO. Participating in this week-long conference turned into additional fieldwork, where its conclusions made it to my dissertation.
About the project
The department of Social Anthropology has received NOK 10 million from the Research Council of Norway to build strategic collaborations in environmental anthropology with key institutions in the United States, Japan, and South Africa. This is part of the International Partnerships for Excellent Education, Research and Innovation programme.
The funding is in line with the government's Panorama strategy: Panorama strategy (2021-2027) - regjeringen.no.
As a result, the department has sent PhD and postdoc candidates on exchanges between the various institutions for research stays. So how has their experience been? And is the project working as intended, aiming at building new strategic networks and collaborations?
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