Ethnologist Gerhild Perl at LMU München to Research Borders and Life's Limits

Ethnologist Gerhild Perl, who recently took up a professorship at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), is researching societal approaches to the boundaries of countries and life itself. Her work delves into migration, death, and the disappearance of individuals.

Perl's research addresses complex global issues. A publication in the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies details a scene at a detention center for refugees in Spain. She poignantly describes the uncertainty faced by refugees and the harm caused by institutional practices, recounting an incident where a Cameroonian woman, who arrived on the same boat as others being released, collapsed in despair when she was denied freedom.

Previously, Perl's research examined deaths during Mediterranean crossings. Her doctoral dissertation explored the stories of those lost on migrant boats, emphasizing the importance of understanding who these individuals were and what happened to them. This work also broadened her interest to include enforced disappearances, a phenomenon occurring in authoritarian regimes.

At LMU, Perl plans to investigate migration within Germany. She highlights the paradox between border closure policies and increased surveillance at external EU borders, alongside a clear need for labor due to demographic shifts. Perl notes that many migrants leave Germany, and her new project will explore conditions that would encourage them to stay. She warns that Germany could become an emigration country if these factors are not addressed. A separate research initiative will explore the anthropology of death, focusing on themes like inheritance and its associated taboos.