leidenanthropologyblog

Dr. Nienke van der Heide is Lecturer at Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Leiden University

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The anthropologist and the key

This year’s ‘Veldwerk NL’ students revealed the importance of the key in anthropological research. It not only symbolises access, it creates possibilities to break down prejudices and pave the way to constructive human interaction.

Nienke van der Heide • February 05, 2016

Beards and holy sites: Competing over True Islam in Kyrgyzstan

Who has the right to wear a beard? Which holy sites are fit for worship? Competition over religious symbols in Kyrgyzstan is deeply intertwined with the political and economic turmoil that has swept the country since the breakdown of the Soviet Union.

Nienke van der Heide • September 08, 2015 • 2 comments

When dreams shape our day

Dreams appear only to the individual, but seem to come from a source outside our social selves. Do we allow them to shape our days? Comparing Dutch and Kyrgyz social contexts, we understand how profoundly cultural these processes are.

Nienke van der Heide • April 15, 2015 • 2 comments