about | über mich

My present work is dedicated to dance, movement and body as a primary place where we form and transform what is called society, – and where we basically deal with what we consider as inside and outside. Its place is much discussed, defined, contested and defended since the early 18th century when the modern era we still live in began. In my current project I look at Contact Improvisation in Switzerland, both a internationally known dance form and  network, spreading since the mid 1970ies.

In the last three decades I had the chance to look at social and cultural change in the period since 1800 in a wide range of areas including sociability, everyday life, leisure, consumerism, common weal, welfare policy and civil society. My research was often based on local and regional studies. I like to integrate a spatial approach and combine micro- with macro-perspectives. Furthermore, besides textual documents I integrate visual material and oral history interviews, and I am about to integrate collaborative research based on movement. 

When I started my studies social history was over its height but still prevailing. Soon gender studies, microhistory and anthropological approaches took roots and attracted my attention. In addition my minors in Art History and Linguistics continue to influence and inspire me. More recently my education and studies in contemporary dance, improvisation and Butoh, intensified since a decade, enlarge my vision.

Since I mostly worked outside of universities my writing addresses a so called broad or laic public. It has always been a pleasurable challenge to link complex scientific questioning with a clear and simple way of telling. Today I see my growing interest in literary and poetic writing.

My books and articles are mostly written in German, ocassonally translated in English and French. 

Born in 1963 in a small Swiss village and raised in a non-academic family I lived and worked for 40 years mainly in Basel where I also did my PhD in History and got my basic academic education, completed by a stay at Humboldt Universität and Technische Hochschule in Berlin. Recently I moved to a small French speaking village near Biel/Bienne. 

Memberships | Mitgliedschaften

Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Geschichte SGG

Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeschichte SGWSG

Performance Art Network CH PANCH