Dr. Jonas Bens

Professor

Biography

Jonas Bens is a Heisenberg Professor at the Institute of Ethnology at the University of Hamburg, focusing on how people navigate conflicts within plural normative frameworks. His research combines ethnographic methods with the analysis of various normative systems, including modern legal frameworks and indigenous orders. He explores how concepts such as sovereignty, justice, property, value, and punishment are conceptualized in differing social contexts. His broader goal is to analyze the political dynamics of our global present, considering the tensions of colonialism, capitalism, and modern statehood.

Research Interests

Experience

Heisenberg Professor
— Present

Institute of Ethnology, University of Hamburg • Hamburg, Germany

Leading research in ethnology, focusing on conflicts in plural normative systems.

Research Associate
— Present

DFG Research Training Group 1171 "Affective Societies"," Freie Universität Berlin • Berlin, Germany

Conducted research on emotional dynamics in societal interactions.

PhD Fellow
— Present

Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung, Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology • Bonn, Germany

Pursued doctoral studies in anthropology.

Awards

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Heisenberg Program Acceptance
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Prize for International Research Marketing Competition
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Bonn American Studies Prize