David Shankland
Welcome to my website! Here you can find a summary of my books and research on anthropology. As a researcher, I am passionate about exploring the cultural diversity of human societies and their histories. Feel free to explore my website to learn more about my work.
My current position is Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Royal Anthropological Institute.
In 2023/4, I visited the IFK as Stadt Wien Fellow.
Research Interests
My research interests lie in the fields of social anthropology, cultural heritage, and the anthropology of religion. I am particularly interested in exploring the relationship between cultural heritage and identity, and how religious beliefs and practices shape social structures and meanings. Through my research, I aim to contribute to a better understanding of the complexities of human societies and the patterns which give rise to their cultural diversity.
Recent Publications
2024:
‘Tension and Resolution in Archaeology in Turkey’ in The Long March of Archaeology in the Eastern Mediterranean. Political and Cultural Entanglements, edited by Björn Forsén, Giovanni Salmeri, and David Shankland. Rome: Arbor Sapientiae, pages 67-86.
2023a:
‘Back to Anatolia: Reflections on Twenty-Five Years of Alevi Research’ in The Alevis in Modern Turkey and the Diaspora: Recognition, Mobilisation and Transformation, edited by Derya Ozkul, Hege Markussen, Edinburgh: EUP, pages 293-311.
2023b:
‘Forty-five years of modernisation in Turkish Villages: What Stirling might have written’ in Commemorating Paul Stirling 25 Years After He Passed Away in ASSA Sondernummer 1/2023, edited by Emine Onaran İncirlioğlu & Gabriele Rasuly-Paleczek, pages 53-71.
2023c:
'Segmentary lineage systems re(re)considered: The example of the Alevis of Anatolia' in A Touch of Genius, The Life, Work and Influence of Sir Edward Evans-Pritchard, edited by Andre Singer: RAI Book Series Volume 4. Canon Pyon: Sean Kingston Publishing, pages 281-288.
2023d:
‘Evans-Pritchard and Marett: or how E-P found a job’ in A Touch of Genius, The Life, Work and Influence of Edward Evans-Pritchard, edited by Andre Singer: RAI Book Series Volume 4. Canon Pyon: Sean Kingston Publishing, pages 115-129