Janine Dahinden, professeure ordinaire

I hold a chair in Transnational Studies since 2007 at the Center for the Understanding of Social Processes (www.unine.ch/maps-chaire), University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. My research approach represents a contemporary strand of social anthropology that places the understanding of processes of mobility, transnationalism and social and symbolic boundary making in the realm of ethnicity, religion and gender. I have conducted empirical research in Kosovo, Albania and Switzerland using qualitative methodologies, social network analysis and quantitative comparative surveys. I was member of the board of directors of the Swiss Forum for Migration and Population studies between 2005-2006. I have taught at different Universities and published in German, English and French, mainly on issues of mobility, migration, transnationality, ethnicity, social networks and culture.

More concretely, a first strand of my research deals with questions of transnationality, whereby I did a variety of studies as with Albanian speaking migrants, with the inhabitants of a small Swiss City, or with cabaret-dancers. My aim is to understand the (non)development of transnational networks and subjectivities by linking them to questions of social inequalities and varying degrees of mobilites. Clearly, my research focuses not only migrants but also non-migrants, thus overcoming the common asymmetry present in transnational studies, which consists of only focusing on migrant populations.

A second strand of my research aims at understanding the social organization of ethnic and/or religious differences as it is conducted by a range of different actors (migrants and non-migrants, nation-states, schools and so forth) and their articulations with questions of power and dominance. I argue that in order to understand the actual place of ethnicity and religion in diversified societies it is necessary to conduct not only so called 'community-studies', but also to address the ethnic and religious boundary work that various actors undertake or to investigate social networks in terms of 'cross-cutting-ties-studies. Such approaches allow us to understand how diversity is (re)produced, relationally and in interaction, in different social fields, and with varying outcomes.

Finally, I am also engaged in commissioned research. I am convinced about the important role that social scientists are to play by getting involved in political debates, such as for example migration issues. I have, for instance, been commissioned by state authorities in Switzerland to study the role of migrant networks for integration programs, the position of the Muslim population in the canton of Zurich, the remittance behavior of Serbian migrants, the working conditions of cabaret-dancers, and more recently the dynamics of the so called 'forced marriage'.

For more details see my research projects (same page) and publications

Wirksame Hilfe für Betroffene von Zwangsheirat (Causes and forms of forced marriages in Switzerland: Prevention and support for victims). Zusammen mit Dr. Anna Neubauer, Dr. Eric Crettaz  (2011-2012)

Transnationalization of Religion. European Science Foundation, International Exploratory Workshop. In cooperation with Prof. Tania Zittoun (University of Neuchâtel). (program and aims of the workshop)

baloti.ch - An Internet Voting Platform for Swiss Migrants. In collaboration with Dr. Uwe Serdült,  c2d, Zentrum für Demokratie Aarau.

Uncovering Gender Projet Transversal Genre et Religion. National Research Program PNR 58 on Religion and State in Switzerland (in cooperation with Dr. Anne Lavanchy and Dr. des Anna-Katharina Höpflinger, MAPS). http://www.uncovering-gender.ch/ (2008-2011)

Bridging Places across Borders. Constitution, Maintenance and Meaning of Transnational Social Spaces. Swiss National Science Foundation (in cooperation with Prof. Michael Nollert, Dr. Marina Richter (University of Fribourg) and PD Dr. Yvonne Riano (University of Neuchâtel). (2009-2012)

Accomplished studies (since 2008 - for publications click on the corresponding research project)

Religion et ethnicité: quelles pratiques, quelles identités, quelles frontières ? Une étude avec de jeunes adultes. Swiss National Research Program NRP 58 on Religion and State in Switzerland (in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Karenina Kollmar-Paulenz, Institute of Science of Religion and Prof. Dr. Doris Wastl-Walter, Institute of Geography, University of Berne). (2007-2010)

Study on Forced Marriage in the City of Zurich
Competence Centre for Gender Equality of the City of Zurich (in cooperation with PD Dr. Yvonne Riano) (2009)

Les réseaux de migration dans les politiques de santé publique et d'intégration
Office fédérale de la santé publique, Office pour la migration, Commission fédérale des étrangers (avec Joëlle Moret) (2006-2008)

Social networks and the construction of membership identities
Swiss National Science Foundation (2005-2008)

Die Stellung der muslimischen Bevölkerung im Kanton Zürich: Teilstudie Sozialhilfe
Justizdepartement des Kantons Zürich (with Chantal Wyssmüller) (2007-2008)

Dahinden, Janine (Forthcoming). "Cities, Migrant Incorporation, and Ethnicity: A Network Perspektive on Boundary Work." Journal of International Migration and Integration. ifirst

Dahinden, Janine (forthcoming). Transnational belonging, non-ethnic-forms of identification, and diverse mobilities: Rethinking migrant integration?, in Reneé Schröder and Ruth Wodak (eds) Migrations: Interdisciplinary perspectives. Wien: Springer Verlag

Dahinden, Janine (2012 [forthcoming]). Albanian-Speaking Migration, mid-19^th Century to Present. In:  Encylopedia of Global Human Migration: Wiley Blackwell.

Dahinden, Janine (2011) Kultur als Form symbolischer Gewalt. Grenzziehungsprozesse im Kontext von Migration am Beispiel der Schweiz. Working Paper Series MAPS. WP 6/2011. Neuchâtel: University of Neuchâtel, Maison d'analyse des processus sociaux (MAPS) download

Please consult my publication list for all publications