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15 December 2021
Contribution to textbook on Human Geography
In the new textbook on Human Geography, edited by R. Schneider-Sliwa, R. Wehrhahn, I. Helbrecht and B. Braun, a chapter on integrative research perspectives on environment and development by Marcus Nüsser, Christoph Bergmann and Juliane Dame has been published.
12 November 2021
Indo-German Workshop on Water Availability and Quality in Heidelberg
The interdisciplinary Indo-German Workshop on Water Availability and Quality Under Varying Environmental and Urban Conditions took place at Heidelberg University, Germany. On October 22nd and 23rd, researchers from Germany and India met in the hybrid event to foster interdisciplinary exchange on the various aspects of water availability and quality. One key topic dealt with “Socio-hydrology and water resources management” and included two presentations on sociohydrological dynamics in the Northwestern Himalayas.
Susanne Schmidt, Dagmar Brombierstäudl, Stanzin Passang, Juliane Dame and Marcus Nüsser presented their research on "Glaciers, snow and neglected forms of frozen water: cryosphere components in the Transhimalaya of Ladakh”. In a second talk, Marcus Nüsser, Susanne Schmidt, Dagmar Brombierstäudl and Juliane Dame presented conceptual thoughts “Towards a socio-hydrological framework for the northwestern Himalaya”.
15 September 2021
Presentations at the International Conference on Sociohydrology, Delft, 6-8 September 2021
In September, the first international sociohydrology conference was hosted in Delft, Netherlands, as a hybrid event. Juliane Dame, Susanne Schmidt, Carina Zang and Marcus Nüsser presented research results entitled "Hydrosocial dynamics and water conflicts in the Upper Huasco Valley, Chile – an integrative assessment". In another paper, Marcus Nüsser, Susanne Schmidt and Juliane Dame presented the topic "Potential, limitations and risks: Towards a socio-hydrological framework for the Himalayan region". Juliane Dame received a grant from the Newave (Next Water Governance) project.
International Conference on Sociohydrology
10 August 2021
Article on adaptation strategies in Chile published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
An article by Laura Meltzer, Juliane Dame, and Sabine Gabrysch (PIK, Potsdam) in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction addresses adaptation strategies in the aftermath of a flood event in northern Chile, with particular attention to health consequences. A standardized survey revealed that physical health impacts were uncommon and mild, and not linked to adaptation behaviour. However, mental health impacts were common and an ongoing issue one year after the flood. Material damages and affected infrastructure determined individual adaptation strategies.
Article on adaptation strategies in Chile
12 July 2021
Special issue on the Covid19 pandemic and geographical research in South Asia published in ASIEN
Judith Müller, together with Carsten Butsch (Cologne/Bonn), Alexander Follmann (Cologne) and Markus Keck (Cologne/Göttingen), has co-edited a special issue on "Geographies of South Asia: Empirical Research and the Pandemic" published in June 2021 in the journal ASIEN of the German Association of Asian Studies. The editorial highlights the challenges that geographical research in South Asia in general; and the ways in which they have been exacerbated by the Covid19 pandemic in particular. Other contributions in the issue highlight the diversity of geographical research in South Asia and report on research on social and ecological issues in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Special issue on "Geographies of South Asia: Empirical Research and the Pandemic"
19 May 2021
Judith Müller successfully completed her doctorate
On May 19, 2021, Judith Müller successfully completed her PhD and defended her doctoral dissertation entitled: „Urban Mountain Waterscapes in Leh, Indian Trans-Himalaya – The Transformation of Hydro-Social Relations“.
15 February 2021
Laura Meltzer passed oral examination successfully
Laura Meltzer successfully passed her oral examination as part of the medical doctoral program (Dr. med.) at the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg. Congratulations! In the meantime, she has started her residency in gynaecology.
19 December 2020
Proceedings of the annual meeting of the Arbeitskreis Südasien online
The latest proceedings of the 10th annual meeting of the Arbeitskreis Südasien (Working group on South Asia), which was hosted in Freiburg in January this year, have now been published. The volume edited by Alexander Follmann (Cologne), Judith Müller und Gregor Falk (Freiburg) compiles current contributions in geographical research on South Asia. The current volume in the series "Geographies of South Asia" includes a contribution by Judith Müller, Juliane Dame and Marcus Nüsser on the topic of "Urbane waterscapes im Hochgebirge (Urban high mountain waterscapes)". The publication is available open access via CrossAsia-eBooks.
Publication "Geographien Südasiens"
8 November 2020
Article about research on Ladakh in "The Hindu"
On November 8, 2020, the Indian daily newspaper "The Hindu" published the article "Lessons from Ladakh’s glacial lake outburst - The cause was not spillover but rather a tunnelling drainage process" which deals with the research study (Cryosphere hazards in Ladakh) of the Department of Geography at the South Asia Institute.
2 November 2020
Paper on glacier changes in Chile published in Geosciences
An article by Katharina Hess, Susanne Schmidt, Marcus Nüsser, Carina Zang and Juliane Dame in the peer-reviewed journal Geosciences deals with glacial changes in the watershed of the Río Huasco, northern Chile ("Glacier Changes in the Semi-Arid Huasco Valley, Chile, between 1986 and 2016"). In the semi-arid and arid regions of the Chilean Andes, meltwater from the cryosphere is a key resource for the local economy and population. In this setting, climate change and economic activities foster water scarcity and resource conflicts.
The change analysis reveals a more or less stable period between 1986 and 2000 and a drastic decline in the glacier-covered area by about 35% between 2000 and 2016. The detailed assessment of six subregions indicates a more pronounced glacier decrease in the vicinity of the Pascua Lama mining project.
The article is part of a Special Issue on Climate Variability and Landscape Dynamics in Mountain Ecosystems and is available online:
26 October 2020
Contribution to the anthology "Warnsignal Klima: Hochgebirge im Wandel"
The consequences of climate change are particularly evident in high mountain regions, which are the focus of the newly published book "Warnsignal Klima: Hochgebirge im Wandel". The anthology includes a chapter by Marcus Nüsser, Juliane Dame und Susanne Schmidt on the topic "Socio-Hydrology of the Transhimalaya - Meltwater Availability and Irrigated Agriculture."
Anthology "Warnsignal Klima: Hochgebirge im Wandel"
30 September 2020
Paper presented at the virtual biennial meeting of the Political Ecology Network (POLLEN), 22-25 September 2020
The third biennial conference of the Political Ecology Network (POLLEN) has been realised as a virtual conference due to the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 1000 participants attended the event with the central theme „Contested Natures: Power, Possibility, Prefiguration“. Judith Müller, Juliane Dame and Marcus Nüsser presented results from research in Ladakh entitled „Urban Mountain Waterscapes: Changing Hydro-Social Relations in Leh (Ladakh), India“.
The third biennial conference of the Political Ecology Network (POLLEN)
Photo: J. Dame, 2017
7 September 2020
New publication: “Cryosphere hazards in Ladakh: the 2014 Gya glacial lake outburst flood and its implications for risk assessment“
An article by Dr. Susanne Schmidt, Prof. Dr. Marcus Nüsser, Dr. Ravi Baghel and Dr. Juliane Dame has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Natural Hazards, which deals with the causes and consequences of a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in the village of Gya in the Indian region of Ladakh. The article attempts to reconstruct the causes and consequences of the 2014 glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) event in Gya, Ladakh. The authors analysed the evolution of the Gya glacial lake using a high temporal and high spatial resolution remote sensing approach. In order to frame the case study in a larger picture, we produced a comprehensive inventory of glacial lakes for the entire Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh. The results can help evaluate the exposure to cryosphere hazards and identify alternative mechanisms and spatial patterns of GLOFs in the Himalaya.
14 June 2020
New publication: “Urban Mountain Waterscapes: The Transformation of Hydro-Social Relations in the Trans-Himalayan Town Leh, Ladakh, India“
An article by Judith Müller, Dr. Juliane Dame and Prof. Dr. Marcus Nüsser was published in the international peer-reviewed journal "Water". The study aims to understand the transformation of the urban mountain waterscape and the role of different actors involved. It examines the influence of urbanisation processes on water access and infrastructures in Leh town. Using quantitative and qualitative social science methods, the study assesses the evolving challenges in Leh’s waterscape and illustrates water governance approaches and underlying discursive strands.
4 February 2020
Paper presentation at the New Cultural Geography 17 “Technocultures und Technoscapes” in Bonn
At the conference "Technocultures and Technoscapes" (New Cultural Geography 17) in Bonn (30.01-01.02.2020), Juliane Dame, jointly with Tomás Usón (Institute for European Ethnology, HU Berlin) presented results of their research in Chile under the title, “The Production of Hydrological Knowledge as a Power Factor: Conflicts over Water in the Yali Alto Catchment Area, Chile.”
New Cultural Geography 17 “Technocultures und Technoscapes”
29 January 2020
Contribution to the textbook "Geography"
In the third edition of the textbook Physical Geography and Human Geography, edited by H. Gebhardt, R. Glaser, U. Radtke, P. Reuber and A. Vött, a chapter on "Water as a Field of Conflict: Global and Local Dimensions" by Marcus Nüsser and Juliane Dame has been published.
28 January 2020
Paper presented at the meeting of the research group South Asia (Arbeitskreis Südasien) in Freiburg
Judith Müller presented at the annual conference of the research group South Asia (“Arbeitskreis Südasien”), which took place in Freiburg. Her presentation was titled “Urban Waterscapes in High Mountains – An Integrative Analysis in Leh, Ladakh”. Moreover, she was re-elected as a member of the executive board of the research group and is a co-editor of this year’s conference proceedings.
10th Annual Conference of the Research Group South Asia (Ger)
30 October 2019
New article on "Cryosphere-Fed Irrigation Networks in the Northwestern Himalaya" in the journal Mountain Research and Development
The journal Mountain Research and Development (Vol. 39, No. 2) recently published the article „Cryosphere-Fed Irrigation Networks in the Northwestern Himalaya: Precarious Livelihoods and Adaptation Strategies Under the Impact of Climate Change“ jointly written by Prof. Dr. Marcus Nüsser , Dr. Juliane Dame, Dr. Ravi Baghel, Dr. Susanne Schmidt, Dr. Sitara Parveen and Benjamin Kraus. Based on case studies from the Nanga Parbat region, Hunza-Karakoram and Ladakh, this paper seeks to identify general patterns and site-specific characteristics of agrarian practices and adaptation strategies in the context of climate change. The article is open access.
Article in Mountain Research and Development
1 October 2019
Dr. Juliane Dame substitutes as Professor of Human Geography
In the winter term 2019/2020 Dr. Juliane Dame will serve as a substitute Professor for Human Geography at the Institute of Geography, Heidelberg University.
30 September 2019
Junior Research Group presents their work at the „Deutscher Kongress für Geographie“ in Kiel
From 25 to 30 September, the biennial conference „Deutscher Kongress für Geographie“ took place in Kiel, Germany. The Junior Research Group presented their current research in Ladakh in the form of a poster. Together with Julia Poerting (Bonn University), Judith Müller gave a talk on multiple ontologies of human-environmental practices. Apart from this, she also led a session about political ecologies of urbanisation together with Alexander Follmann (Köln University).
Deutscher Kongress für Geographie 2019
27 September 2019
Proceedings of the annual meeting of the Arbeitskreis Südasien online
The latest proceedings of the 9th annual meeting of the Arbeitskreis Südasien (Working group on South Asia), which was hosted in Heidelberg this year, have now been published. The volume edited by Judith Müller, Juliane Dame and Carsten Butsch (Cologne University) compiles current contributions in geographical research on South Asia. Topics such as urban water use in South Asia, indigenous rights in mining regions in India and Indian migrant organisations in Germany have been covered in this volume. The publication is available open access via CrossAsia-eBooks.
Publication of the 9th annual meeting of the AK Südasien
12 September 2019
Judith Müller presents her research at the „International Mountain Conference“ in Innsbruck
The International Mountain Conference was hosted by the University of Innsbruck from 08–12 September 2019. The conference aims to build upon three previous conferences with a focus on mountain-specific topics that took place in Perth, Scotland. Judith Müller gave a poster presentation along with a flash talk on her research titled "Urban water in Leh - a political-ecological analysis in the Indian Transhimalaya".
International Mountain Conference 2019
27 May 2019
New publication on urbanisation and socio-ecological challenges in the high mountain town Leh
The article “Urbanisation and socio-ecological challenges in high mountain towns: Insights from Leh (Ladakh), India” by Dr. Juliane Dame (HCE), Dr. Susanne Schmidt (SAI), Judith Müller M.A. (HCE), and Prof. Dr. Marcus Nüsser (Head of the Department of Geography at SAI and HCE member) was published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning.
The reasons and challenges for rapid urbanisation in the high mountain town of Leh were analysed using remote sensing and primary data collected through standard social science methods.. In the last few decades, an expansion of built-up areas into agricultural fields and uncultivated land with an increasing densification has taken place, which especially creates challenges for water resources management and natural hazards preparedness.
Articel in "Landscape and Urban Planning"
13 May 2019
Paper presentation at the NHRN Conference in Copenhagen
Judith Müller presented a paper at the second conference of the Nordic Himalayan Research Network (NHRN) on the topic “Rethinking the Himalayas”. The conference took place at the University of Copenhagen on May 9, 2019. Her contribution “Urbanizing water in Leh, Ladakh – socio-ecological dynamics in the Indian Trans-Himalaya” illustrated findings of her research project.
Second Conference of the Nordic Himalayan Research Network
17 April 2019
Poster presentation at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna
At this year’s General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU), which was held from 7 to 12 April 2019 in Vienna, members of the Junior Research Group presented two posters. Dr. Carina Zang, Dr. Susanne Schmidt und Dr. Juliane Dame illustrated the results of ongoing research in Ladakh titled “Isotopic signatures of glacier, permafrost and streams in the Trans-Himalaya of Ladakh, India”. Dr. Susanne Schmidt, Dr. Juliane Dame, Dr. Sitara Parveen, Dr. Ravi Baghel, and Prof. Dr. Marcus Nüsser presented their findings on irrigation patterns in the North-Western Himalaya in their contribution “Cryosphere-fed irrigation networks in the north-western Himalaya: Threatened livelihoods and adaptation strategies under the impact of climate change”.
5 February 2019
Annual Meeting of the Arbeitskreis Südasien at SAI
The program had 12 oral presentations and one poster session on current research in South Asia in various domains like organic agriculture and urban spaces, among others. Furthermore, a methodological discussion which was started in the last meeting in Cologne in 2018 was continued. The award for the best Master’s thesis on South Asia this year was granted to Max Steinhausen (Freie Universität Berlin) for his study titled “Enhanced land cover mapping by combining Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data ─ A case study of the Chennai Basin, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, India“. Next year’s meeting will take place at the University of Freiburg.
Annual Meeting Program (PDF | DE)
10 January 2019
Publication in Praxis Geographie
Dr. Susanne Schmidt (SAI, Geography department) and Dr. Juliane Dame published a review article in the latest issue of the didactical journal “Praxis Geographie” which focuses on South Asia. It traces socioeconomic disparities and social-ecological challenges in the region.
Praxis Geographie „Südasien - Konflikte und Lösungen“
10 January 2019
New publication on food security and translocality in Ladakh
The article “Food Security and Translocal Livelihoods in High Mountains: Evidence from Ladakh, India” by Dr. Juliane Dame was published in the latest issue of the journal Mountain Research and Development (vol. 38, issue 4). It features in a special issue on “Food Security and Sustainable Development in Mountains”.
Mountain Research and Development Journal
15 December 2018
Publication following the annual meeting of the Arbeitskreis Südasien 2018
In the series “Geographien Südasiens”, an extended abstract of a paper on organic agriculture in high mountains by Dr. Juliane Dame, Julia Poerting (Bonn University) and Stefanie Raschke (Ministry for Environment, Wiesbaden) was published. The edition compiles current contributions in geographical research on South Asia which were presented during the annual meeting of the Arbeitskreis Südasien in 2018 at the University of Cologne.
Series "Geographien Südasiens"
30 October 2018
Paper presentation at conference: “Development Citizenship and the City”
Judith Müller presented selected results of her ongoing doctoral project titled “The Role of Modernity and Citizenship in ‘Hygienizing’ Leh Town, Ladakh” at the meeting of the Geographischer Arbeitskreis Entwicklungstheorien (GAE) and the AK Geographische Stadtforschung im Entwicklungskontext. The conference was from 25 to 27 October at the Institute of Geography in Bayreuth.
Conference "Development, Citizenship and the City"
26 October 2018
Carina Zang successfully completed her doctorate and has a new position
On the 26 October 2018, Carina Zang successfully completed her PhD and defended her doctoral dissertation titled: “Socio-Hydrological Perspectives on Water Quality in an Arid Mountain Catchment – The Case of the Upper Huasco Valley”. Since May 2018, she has been employed at the German Federal Institute of Hydrology in a transdisciplinary research project about impacts of climate change on global water availability, funded by the EU (CO-MICC).
25 September 2018
Judith Müller in Ladakh for field work
Judith Müller visited Ladakh, India, from 25 August to 20 September 2018 for finalising her field data for empirical analysis. She conducted additional interviews with local government representatives and community members in her research area. The region of Ladakh was struck by pronounced aridity this year which led to a critical shortage in water availability.
Photo: J. Müller, September 2018
2 July 2018
New publication on “artificial glaciers” as climate change adaptation strategy
The renowned international journal Regional Environmental Change recently published the article „Socio-hydrology of ‘artificial glaciers’ in Ladakh, India: assessing adaptive strategies in a changing cryosphere“, which was jointly edited by Prof. Dr. Marcus Nüsser (Head of the Department of Geography, SAI, and HCE member), Dr. Juliane Dame (HCE), Benjamin Kraus, MSc (HCE), Dr. Ravi Baghel (SAI) and Dr. Susanne Schmidt (SAI). The article presents a long-term analysis examining the efficiency of artificial glaciers and addresses the question of whether they can be a suitable climate change adaptation strategy. This paper features in the special issue „Impacts of climate change on the mountain cryosphere and associated response“, in time for a forthcoming special report of the IPCC.
Full article in "Regional Environmental Change"
14 June 2018
Workshop organized at meeting of Critical Geographers
From 14 to 16 June 2018, a meeting of the Critical Geographers took place at Goethe University Frankfurt. Judith Müller co-organized a workshop on “Reflecting Empirical Research Practices in Geography: Examples from South Asia”, together with Miriam Wenner (University of Göttingen) Nicolas Schlitz (Osnabrück University), and Katharina Molitor (University of Cologne).
Workshop programme (PDF) (Ger)
8 May 2018
New Publication: “Hydrochemical and environmental isotope analysis of groundwater and surface water in a dry mountain region in Northern Chile”
Carina Zang, Juliane Dame and Marcus Nüsser published an article in the peer-review journal Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. The paper features key results of water sampling campaigns in the Huasco valley, Chile.
The study examines the geological imprint and influence of land use practices on water quality. The combined approach of hydrogeochemical and isotopic analysis proved to be a helpful tool in characterizing the catchment and can serve as a basis for future sustainable water management.
Full article in "Environmental Monitoring and Assessment"
16 April 2018
Oral presentation at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna
At this year’s General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) HCE-member Prof. Dr. Marcus Nüsser presented our current research in Ladakh in a talk titled “Socio-hydrology of artificial glaciers in Ladakh, India: assessing adaptive strategies for water conservation in the Trans-Himalayan region” (co-authors: Juliane Dame, Susanne Schmidt, Ravi Baghel, Benjamin Kraus). The talk presented findings based on an integrative research approach on the functioning of ice reservoirs, commonly called “artificial glaciers”, which are promoted as a suitable climate change adaptation strategy.
Geophysical Research Abstracts (PDF)
3 April 2018
Judith Müller receives two grants from Excellence Initiative
Judith Müller has successfully applied for a travel and a completion grant from the Graduate Academy of Heidelberg University. This will finance a final field visit to Ladakh (India) in late summer and subsequently the writing phase for her doctoral thesis.
29 January 2018
Judith Müller at the conference “Neue Kulturgeographie 15” at the University of Freiburg
At the conference „Neue Kulturgeographie 15 – Materie, Materialien, Methoden“ which took place from 25 to 27 January in Freiburg, Judith Müller together with Diana Griesinger (Institute of Geography, Heidelberg University) presented a paper about current research on colonial history from the perspective of Global History. Their example was the tour about Heidelberg’s colonial history, which Judith Müller honorary guides for the association “schwarzweiss e.V”.
Itinerary Flyer "Neue Kulturgeographie 15" (PDF) (Ger)
Heidelberg's colonial history (Ger)
22 January 2018
Participation at annual meeting of the “Arbeitskreis Südasien”, University of Cologne
At this year’s annual meeting of the Arbeitskreis Südasien (Study Group on South Asia in the German Geographical Society; DGfG) in Cologne (19.-20.01.2018), Juliane Dame and Julia Poerting (Department of Geography, Bonn University) gave a joint presentation on potentials of and challenges for organic agriculture in high mountains based on their research in the neighbouring regions of Ladakh and Baltistan.
Judith Müller was elected as a member of the executive board of the study group. She is now co-editor of the annual conference proceedings in which current geographical research on South Asia is published.
Study Group on South Asia in the German Geographical Society (Ger)
14. November 2017
New Publication: “After the flood: Impacts and adaptation strategies in the Huasco Valley, Chile” (in German)
The article ‘After the flood: Impacts and adaptation strategies in the Huasco Valley, Chile’ written by Laura Meltzer with PD Dr. Dr. Sabine Gabrysch and Dr. Juliane Dame, is based on a presentation given at a workshop on “Vulnerability in the context of environment and health”, organized by the German Society for Epidemiology (DGEpi) and the German Environmental Agency (UBA), which took place in Berlin in July 2017. In this contribution, Laura Meltzer, doctoral candidate of the junior research group (Supervision: PD Dr. Dr. Sabine Gabrysch, Institute of Public Health), presented first findings from her empirical research in Chile.
Umwelt und Mensch – Informationsdienst 02/2017
09. November 2017
Collaboration with the CATS cooperation with secondary schools (“Schülerlabor”)
At an event of the CATS (Centre for Asian and Transcultural Studies) cooperation with secondary schools (“Schülerlabor”) on “Sustainability in Economy, Technology, and Society”, Judith Müller gave a talk (“Challenges for the sustainability of water management in Leh, Ladakh”) on her research project. The invited pupils had the chance to get information on the issue of sustainability from the perspective of Asian Studies, and they could get into touch with the presenting scientists.
Flyer CATS “Schülerlabor” (PDF) (Ger)
06. November 2017
Participation at a workshop about “Food Systems: Production, Trade, Consumption” at the University of Cologne
Juliane Dame and Julia Poerting (Department of Geography, Bonn University) gave a joint presentation on their research at a workshop on current perspectives in food systems research. Based on empirical studies in Ladakh and Baltistan, potentials and challenges of organic agriculture in high mountains were discussed from a Political Ecology perspective.
Workshop “Food Systems: Production, Trade, Consumption”
18. October 2017
Interdisciplinary Seminar: “Human-Environment Research in the Anthropocene”
In the winter term of 2017-2018, Juliane Dame and Susanne Schmidt (South Asia Institute) jointly offer an interdisciplinary seminar on human-environment research in the Anthropocene. Current research topics are looked at from a Physical as well as Human Geography perspective, and integrative approaches are discussed.
Further information is available on LSF (German only).
Interdisciplinary Seminar: “Human-Environment Research in the Anthropocene”
18. October 2017
Interdisciplinary Seminar: “Geographical Views on Water Dynamics in Arid Mountain Regions”
In the winter term of 2017-2018, Judith Müller and Carina Zang jointly offer a reading seminar on water dynamics in arid mountain regions. The literature basis consists of theoretical and empirical research articles from Geography and neighboring disciplines.
Further information is available on LSF (German only).
Interdisciplinary Seminar: “Geographical Views on Water Dynamics in Arid Mountain Regions”
09. October 2017
Dr. Jessica Budds visits the South Asia Institute
In October, Dr. Jessica Budds, University of East Anglia, visited the Junior Research Group at the South Asia Institute. In a public talk on “Neoliberal Water: Water Security and the Internal Contradictions of Chile’s Water Code” on Monday, 9 October, she presented new insights based on her ongoing research in Chile, a regional focus of her work for many years.
06. October 2017
Junior Research Group presents their work at the „Deutscher Kongress für Geographie“ in Tübingen
In October, the Junior Research Group has presented their current research at the „Deutscher Kongress für Geographie“ (30.09.-05.10.2017 in Tübingen). This biennial conference is the most important event for the German-speaking Geography community.
During this year’s conference, Judith Müller presented conceptual thoughts in Urban Political Ecology, which she has chosen to frame her empirical research. Juliane Dame (together with Stefanie Raschke) presented findings on organic agriculture and food security in Ladakh. In addition, Carina Zang gave a talk on results from her PhD project on water quality in Chile.
Moreover, Juliane Dame (with Dr. Linda Taft, Bonn) chaired a session on “Socio-Hydrological Relations as an Integrative Research Perspective). Judith Müller (with Julia Poerting, Bonn), chaired a session on urban natures and planetary urbanization.
Deutscher Kongress für Geographie (Ger)
21 September 2017
Carina Zang and Susanne Schmidt in Ladakh, India, conducting empirical research
PhD student Carina Zang and Dr. Susanne Schmidt (South Asia Institute) spent three weeks in Ladakh, Northern India. Water analyses were the key activity during the stay. Furthermore, the two researchers gave guest lectures on their current projects at the University of Kashmir in Leh.
Photo: S. Schmidt, September 2017
15 September 2017
Juliane Dame in Ladakh, India, conducting empirical research
Juliane Dame travelled to Leh, Ladakh, to continue current research activities. During her stay, she carried out qualitative interviews. Rapid urbanization processes and subsequent socio-ecological challenges have been the focus of her interest. Additionally, she investigated current dynamics in selected rural settlements. These are closely linked to the changes taking place in Leh, especially in light of the increasingly translocal livelihood strategies of the population.
Photo: J. Dame, September 2017
25 August 2017
Publication in Geoforum
The Article „ Disputed water: Competing knowledge and power asymmetries in the Yali Alto basin, Chile” by Tomás Usón, Cristián Henríquez and Juliane Dame has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Geoforum. Based on an empirical study of the upper Yali basin in the municipality of San Pedro de Melipilla, Chile, the paper shows how knowledge regarding water is produced, circulated and applied in the context of water scarcity and emerging conflicts over access to groundwater.
Disputed water: Competing knowledge and power asymmetries in the Yali Alto basin, Chile
5 July 2017
Paper presentation given by Laura Meltzer at a workshop on “Vulnerability in the context of environment and health” in Berlin
A workshop on the topic “Vulnerability in the context of environment and health”, organized by the German Society for Epidemiology (DGEpi) and the German Environmental Agency (UBA), was held in Berlin on June 22nd, 2017. During the one-day workshop, scientists and practitioners discussed different perspectives on vulnerability in the context of environment and health and current research questions.
Laura Meltzer, doctoral candidate of the junior research group (Supervision: Dr. Sabine Gabrysch, Institute of Public Health), presented first findings from her empirical research in Chile. She presented insights from the Huasco valley under the guiding question “Does suffering in extreme events influence adaptive behavior to floods hazards?”.
29 May 2017
Presentation at „Heidelberg Bridge“ Colloquium
On Monday, May 29, Carina Zang, PhD student in the Junior Research Group presented her ongoing research on “Socio-hydrological perspectives on water quality: The case of the upper Huasco valley, Chile”. This presentation was a part of the “Heidelberg Bridge” lecture series that focuses on interdisciplinary exchanges, organized by the Heidelberg Center for the Environment.
Topics and dates of the "Heidelberg Bridge" Colloquium
10 May 2017
Participation in the 18th Conference of the International Association for Ladakh Studies
The biannual meeting of the International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS) was held at Bedlewo (near Poznan, Poland) between May 2 and May 6, 2017. In the event, Judith Müller presented selected findings from her ongoing PhD research in a talk entitled “Water through your lenses – participatory photography as a method to analyze human-water-interactions in Leh”. A second contribution from Heidelberg dealt with organic agriculture in Ladakh, based on the example of the “eco model village” Takmachik (Juliane Dame and Stefanie Raschke: “Organic Agriculture in Ladakh: the case of Takmachik”).
During the conference, two recent publications comprising a book and a special issue on Ladakh were presented. Both included contributions from the IALS conference hosted in Heidelberg in 2013. The book was titled “Visible Heritage: Essays on the Art and Architecture of Greater Ladakh”, edited by Rob Linrothe and Heinrich Pöll. The special issue was titled “Ladakh: Historical Perspectives and Social Change”, published as Vol. 40 (2) of the Tibet Journal, edited by John Bray, Petra Maurer and Andrea Butcher.
Conference of the International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS)
24 April 2017
The Junior Research Group presents their work at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna
HCE-member Marcus Nüsser and Murugesu Sivapalan organized a Session titled “Advances in Socio-hydrology” at this year’s European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly. The main aim of this session was to develop new theoretical and methodological approaches and merge them within the new discipline of “socio-hydrology”. As a part of the session, Carina Zang and Juliane Dame presented their work titled “Co-evolution of land use changes, water quality deterioration and social conflicts in arid, Northern Chile.”
European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2017
6 April 2017
Paper presentation given by Carina Zang at the American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting in Boston, USA
At this year’s Annual Meeting of the American Association of Geographers (AAG), Carina Zang presented results of her PhD project in the session “Transforming Human-Environment Interactions Research through Integrative Methods”. In her talk titled “Water quality at the nexus of physical parameters, social conflicts and land use regimes in northern Chile”, she explained how different actor groups were involved across water conflicts in the Huasco Valley and how they influenced the actual and perceived water quality.
American Association of Geographers (AAG)
24 January 2017
Report on Photography Workshop with “Ladakh Arts and Media Organization (LAMO)” published
In the current newsletter of LAMO, a report about the participative photography workshop led by Judith Müller in cooperation with the local NGO in spring 2016 has been published. Participants dealt with the visual perception of water through the medium of photography. The participants photographed those aspects concerning the issue of water that seemed relevant to them in their hometown Leh. The visual results and conducted interviews are part of the empirical research of Judith Müller’s PhD study.
LAMO Newsletter January 2017 (PDF)
25 November 2016
New Publication: „Small Town, Great Expectations: Urbanization and Beautification in Leh”
The Article „Small Town, Great Expectations: Urbanization and Beautification in Leh” by Judith Müller and Juliane Dame has been published in the peer-reviewed South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal (SAMAJ) which focuses on research within social sciences and humanities on South Asia. The article deals with urban restructuration which are aimed at beautification and valorization measures in the city of Leh (Ladakh) in the North Indian Himalaya. Those processes are analyzed by using an Urban Political Ecology Framework.
Abstract in South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal (SAMAJ)
18 November 2016
Talk given by Carina Zang at the annual meeting of the Arbeitskreis Hydrologie in Munich
At the 48. Annual meeting of the Arbeitskreis Hydrologie from 17 to 19 November, Carina Zang gave a talk on the “Hydro-geochemistry of an Andean river system in the arid Atacama Region, Chile”. She could discuss the results of the sampling campaign which she conducted in winter 2015/16 with hydrologists from various German universities.
18 October 2016
Lecture Series on „Environmental Humanities“
During the winter term of 2016-2017, the junior research group is one of the organizers of an interdisciplinary lecture series on “Environmental Humanities”. The public lectures take place at the Karl Jaspers Center, Heidelberg University. For students, it is possible to combine the lecture series and an accompanying seminar class.
Itinerary Poster of the Lecture Series on „Environmental Humanities“ (PDF)
18 October 2016
Interdisciplinary Seminar: Perspectives on „Water“ from Human and Physical Geography
In the winter term of 2016-2017, Judith Müller and Carina Zang jointly offer an interdisciplinary seminar on human-environment interactions focusing on water. It is an MA-level course. Further information is available at the LSF.
29 September 2016
Talk of the Junior Research Group at the „Royal Geographical Society Annual International Conference“ in London
At the annual conference of the Royal Geographical Society with this years theme „Nexus Thinking“ (30.08.-02.09.2016), Judith Müller and Dr. Juliane Dame presented their current research results under the topic „The Contested Terrain of Beautification Processes in Leh, Ladakh“. Furthermore, HCE-member Professor Dr. Marcus Nüsser gave a presentation on „The Socio-Hydrological Nexus in the Northwestern Himalayan Region“.
Annual International Conference of the Royal Geographical Society 2016
6 July 2016
Film portrait about the work of the Junior Research Group. Created on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the HCE.
20 June 2016
Laura Meltzer back from field work in Chile
Laura Meltzer returned from the Huasco Valley, Chile, in June following a four-month-long fieldtrip where she collected data for her doctoral thesis. The Huasco Valley was severely affected by flooding and landslides after untypically heavy rainfalls in March 2015. Hundreds of people had to be evacuated to emergency shelters and a significant part of the infrastructure and farmland was destroyed. To understand how best communities could adapt to such extreme climatic events and how a favorable climate policy could be fostered, Laura Meltzer conducted standardized household interviews as well as interviews with key informants from within the community to assess the management of last year’s disaster.
Photo: L. Meltzer, May 2016
10 June 2016
Judith Müller in Ladakh, India, for empirical research
Between March and May 2016, Judith Müller conducted further quantitative as well as qualitative research in her study area in Leh (Ladakh). Besides carrying out household surveys in the old town of Leh, she also conducted qualitative interviews and used the participative photo interview as a new method. She organized a workshop in cooperation with a local non-governmental organisation Ladakh Arts and Media Organization (LAMO), where participants documented the role water plays in their respective everyday lives with single-use cameras. The aim of this study was to capture opinions and perceptions of the local population visually and linguistically for a holistic result.
Photo: J. Müller, April 2016
02 June 2016
Papers of the junior research group given at the joint conference of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für vergleichende Hochgebirgsforschung and the Arbeitskreis Hochgebirge
Carina Zang and Judith Müller presented their dissertation projects with empirical case studies in Chile („Water quality on the border of the Atacama Desert-a case study on the impacts of land use changes“) and in India („Urbanisation processes and challenges for water use in Leh, Ladakh“) respectively at the biennial, joint conference of Arbeitsgemeinschaft für vergleichende Hochgebirgsforschung (ARGE) and Arbeitskreis Hochgebirge (AKH) under the topic „High mountain research and global change“. The conference took place in Berchtesgaden, Germany on May 27, 2016 and was attended by high mountain geographers from German-speaking countries.
11 April 2016
Carina Zang back from research and excursion in northern Chile
During her research stay in February and March 2016, Carina Zang successfully collected water samples from the Huasco Valley, which were subsequently sent to Heidelberg and analyzed in cooperation with the Institute for Earth Sciences. In Arica, Carina Zang and Laura Meltzer joined an excursion led by Prof. Dr. Hugo Romero (Universidad de Chile, Santiago) to understand how rural communities in the Atacama Desert adapt with the changing climate.
25 February 2016
Satellite data from RapidEye Science Archive
An application for RapidEye satellite data for scientific projects with the RapidEye Science Archive (RESA) by Dr. Susanne Schmidt, Prof. Dr. Marcus Nüsser, Dr. Juliane Dame, Judith Müller has been approved. A selection of archived high-resolution RapidEye data can be accessed for research on “Natural hazards and land use change in Ladakh, Indian Trans-Himalaya”.
Photo: C. Zang, March 2016
1 February 2016
Participation at a workshop about Urban Political Ecology at the University of Cologne
The Geography Institute and the Global South Study Center of the University of Cologne organized a workshop titled „Urban Political Ecology: Reviewing the Linkages in the Debates for the Global South and North“ with Erik Swyngedouw (Professor of Geography, Society and Environment Research Group, University of Manchester)on January 29th. Research approaches in the field of (Urban) Political Ecology were discussed. Dr. Juliane Dame and Judith Müller were invited by the organizers to provide their inputs based on research of their junior research group on political ecology in the Himalayas.
25 January 2016
Junior Research Group presents their research at the „Arbeitskreis Südasien“
The Junior Research Group has presented their current research in Ladakh at the annual meeting of the Arbeitskreis Südasien (Study Group on South Asia in the German Geographical Society (DGfG)) in Osnabrück (22.-23.1.2016). Besides a talk that was given on water management in urban Leh (Juliane Dame, Judith Müller, Marcus Nüsser: Urbanisierung in Leh, Ladakh: Aktuelle Entwicklungen der Wasserversorgung), Benjamin Kraus and Stefanie Raschke presented results from their MA research on artificial glaciers in the cold arid high mountain region and on ecological agriculture respectively. A talk on methodological plurality in geographical research in South Asia (Judith Müller and Julia Poerting, HCTS) complemented the programme.
South Asia Study Group within the DGfG
12 January 2016
Laura Meltzer joins the research group
Laura Meltzer has joined the research group in the beginning of 2016, as a doctoral student from the medical faculty of the University of Heidelberg, under the supervision of PD Dr. med. Sabine Gabrysch, PhD, Institute for Public Health. In her research project she analyzes behavior based factors influencing climate change adaptation in a case study of the Huasco Valley, Chile. With her cross sectional study she adds a medical perspective to the topics of the research group.
22 December 2015
Carina Zang back from research in the Huasco Valley, Chile
In October 2015 Carina Zang began her water sampling measurements in northern Chile. The aim sampling was to measure the chemical and physical quality of water in the upper Huasco catchment. She collected water samples from the river and in several drinking water wells at regular intervals. It is possible to determine source regions of the sampled groundwater bodies using additional isotope samples
During her research stay Carina Zang also visited farmers to gain information on agricultural practices and water management in this water scarce region. In cooperation with local authorities she collected data on agricultural development during the last 30 years, its drivers and on current drinking water projects.
12 November 2015
International Conference on Global Environmental Chang in the Himalayan Region in New Delhi
Between November 6th and 8th, the international conference on “Global environmental change in the Himalayan Region: Controversies, Impacts, Futures” took place at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. During the three-day conference, organized by Heidelberg University jointly with Free University Berlin and in partnership with TERI University, Dr. Juliane Dame gave a keynote presentation on „Food security in Ladakh: changing production systems, markets and new food preferences“.
The conference and a complementary exhibition of repeat photography entitled “Environmental Change on the Himalayan Scale” were inaugurated by HCE-member Professor Dr. Marcus Nüsser and his keynote “Glacier Changes on a Himalayan Scale: Scientific, Cultural and Political Dimensions”.
14 October 2015
Junior Research Group presents their work at the „Deutscher Kongress für Geographie“ in Berlin and at the „Mountains of our Future Earth Conference“ in Perth (Scotland)
In October, the Junior Research Group has presented their current research at two conferences. The biennial „Deutscher Kongress für Geographie“ (01.-06.10.2015 in Berlin) is the most important event for the German-speaking Geography community. The group presented two papers and two posters. A talk by J. Dame and T. Usón Pizarro as well a poster by C. Zang presented results from the ongoing research project in Chile. A second oral presentation (J. Dame, J. Müller and M. Nüsser) as well as a poster by J. Müller dealt with preliminary findings from Leh, Northern India.
At the „Mountains of our Future Earth Conference“ in Perth, Scotland (04.-08.10.2015) which is taking place every five years, the Junior Research Group also gave two presentations which dealt with urban development in the Indian Himalaya (M. Nüsser, J. Dame and S.Schmidt) and multilocality in Ladakh (J. Dame). A poster on „Urban Water Infrastructures in Transition: The Case of Leh“ by Judith Müller was awarded with the 3rd prize in the context of the conference’s poster competition.
German Congress for Geography 2015 (Ger)
Perth III: Mountains of Our Future Earth
12 October 2015
Poster presentations on the Interdisciplinary Conference on Land Use and Water Quality and the German - Brazilian Symposium for Sustainable Development
Carina Zang presented preliminary results of her ongoing PhD-project at the ”International interdisciplinary Conference on Land Use and Water Quality-Agricultural Production and the Environment 2015” that took place in Vienna from 21 - 24 September 2015. The poster displayed the analysis of current land use and water quality change in her research area. The conference focused on the academic exchange about current water problems related to agriculture.
Carina Zang also participated in the German - Brazilian Symposium for Sustainable Development that was organized with support from HCE and hosted at Heidelberg University (Institute of Earth Sciences) from the 04 - 10 October 2015. Her poster dealt with water resource conflicts in arid regions of Chile.
7th German-Brazilian Symposium for Sustainable Development
30 September 2015
International Workshop on Sustainable Water Management in New Delhi
The Heidelberg Center for South Asia and the German House for Research and Innovation in New Delhi organized a workshop titled “Sustainable Water Resource Management: Perspectives from Asia and Europe“ in the end of September, where Judith Müller gave a presentation on her research project in Leh. This workshop offered a platform for knowledge exchange between Indian and German scholars dealing with the topic water from a natural as well as social scientific perspective.
Workshop poster (PDF)
10 August 2015
Paper given at the 17th Conference of the International Association for Ladakh Studies in Kargil
Judith Müller was giving a presentation on “Socio-economic change and water infrastructures in Leh, Ladakh” at the 17th Conference of the International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS) that took place from the 26th to the 29th of July 2015 in Kargil (North India). The event offered the opportunity for interdisciplinary exchange between scientists and experts from Ladakh, other regions of India, Europe and the rest of the world. Issues like ecology, religion, heritage conservation or history were discussed alongside current questions of Kargil’s political role as the second largest city of Ladakh. Subsequent to the conference, Judith Müller was taking the opportunity to extend her stay for three more weeks to conduct interviews in Leh.
Photo: J. Müller, July 2015
20 July 2015
New publication: Food security in high mountain regions
The newly published book „Ernährungssicherung im Hochgebirge. Akteure und ihr Handeln im Kontext des sozioökonomischen Wandels in Ladakh, Indien“ by Dr. Juliane Dame has been published by Franz Steiner Verlag and deals with distinctive features of food security in high mountains based on an empirical case study in Ladakh, India. The study analyses food security strategies of local actors in the context of rapid political and socio-economic change, from an actor-oriented and multiscalar perspective.
Publishing House Franz Steiner (Ger)
22 December 2015
Carina Zang back from research in the Huasco Valley, Chile
In October 2015 Carina Zang began her water sampling measurements in northern Chile. The aim sampling was to measure the chemical and physical quality of water in the upper Huasco catchment. She collected water samples from the river and in several drinking water wells at regular intervals. It is possible to determine source regions of the sampled groundwater bodies using additional isotope samples
During her research stay Carina Zang also visited farmers to gain information on agricultural practices and water management in this water scarce region. In cooperation with local authorities she collected data on agricultural development during the last 30 years, its drivers and on current drinking water projects.
12 November 2015
International Conference on Global Environmental Chang in the Himalayan Region in New Delhi
Between November 6th and 8th, the international conference on “Global environmental change in the Himalayan Region: Controversies, Impacts, Futures” took place at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. During the three-day conference, organized by Heidelberg University jointly with Free University Berlin and in partnership with TERI University, Dr. Juliane Dame gave a keynote presentation on „Food security in Ladakh: changing production systems, markets and new food preferences“.
The conference and a complementary exhibition of repeat photography entitled “Environmental Change on the Himalayan Scale” were inaugurated by HCE-member Professor Dr. Marcus Nüsser and his keynote “Glacier Changes on a Himalayan Scale: Scientific, Cultural and Political Dimensions”.
14 October 2015
Junior Research Group presents their work at the „Deutscher Kongress für Geographie“ in Berlin and at the „Mountains of our Future Earth Conference“ in Perth (Scotland)
In October, the Junior Research Group has presented their current research at two conferences. The biennial „Deutscher Kongress für Geographie“ (01.-06.10.2015 in Berlin) is the most important event for the German-speaking Geography community. The group presented two papers and two posters. A talk by J. Dame and T. Usón Pizarro as well a poster by C. Zang presented results from the ongoing research project in Chile. A second oral presentation (J. Dame, J. Müller and M. Nüsser) as well as a poster by J. Müller dealt with preliminary findings from Leh, Northern India.
At the „Mountains of our Future Earth Conference“ in Perth, Scotland (04.-08.10.2015) which is taking place every five years, the Junior Research Group also gave two presentations which dealt with urban development in the Indian Himalaya (M. Nüsser, J. Dame and S.Schmidt) and multilocality in Ladakh (J. Dame). A poster on „Urban Water Infrastructures in Transition: The Case of Leh“ by Judith Müller was awarded with the 3rd prize in the context of the conference’s poster competition.
German Congress for Geography 2015 (Ger)
Perth III: Mountains of Our Future Earth
12 October 2015
Poster presentations on the Interdisciplinary Conference on Land Use and Water Quality and the German - Brazilian Symposium for Sustainable Development
Carina Zang presented preliminary results of her ongoing PhD-project at the ”International interdisciplinary Conference on Land Use and Water Quality-Agricultural Production and the Environment 2015” that took place in Vienna from 21 - 24 September 2015. The poster displayed the analysis of current land use and water quality change in her research area. The conference focused on the academic exchange about current water problems related to agriculture.
Carina Zang also participated in the German - Brazilian Symposium for Sustainable Development that was organized with support from HCE and hosted at Heidelberg University (Institute of Earth Sciences) from the 04 - 10 October 2015. Her poster dealt with water resource conflicts in arid regions of Chile.
7th German-Brazilian Symposium for Sustainable Development
30 September 2015
International Workshop on Sustainable Water Management in New Delhi
The Heidelberg Center for South Asia and the German House for Research and Innovation in New Delhi organized a workshop titled “Sustainable Water Resource Management: Perspectives from Asia and Europe“ in the end of September, where Judith Müller gave a presentation on her research project in Leh. This workshop offered a platform for knowledge exchange between Indian and German scholars dealing with the topic water from a natural as well as social scientific perspective.
Workshop poster (PDF)
10 August 2015
Paper given at the 17th Conference of the International Association for Ladakh Studies in Kargil
Judith Müller was giving a presentation on “Socio-economic change and water infrastructures in Leh, Ladakh” at the 17th Conference of the International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS) that took place from the 26th to the 29th of July 2015 in Kargil (North India). The event offered the opportunity for interdisciplinary exchange between scientists and experts from Ladakh, other regions of India, Europe and the rest of the world. Issues like ecology, religion, heritage conservation or history were discussed alongside current questions of Kargil’s political role as the second largest city of Ladakh. Subsequent to the conference, Judith Müller was taking the opportunity to extend her stay for three more weeks to conduct interviews in Leh.
Photo: J. Müller, July 2015
20 July 2015
New publication: Food security in high mountain regions
The newly published book „Ernährungssicherung im Hochgebirge. Akteure und ihr Handeln im Kontext des sozioökonomischen Wandels in Ladakh, Indien“ by Dr. Juliane Dame has been published by Franz Steiner Verlag and deals with distinctive features of food security in high mountains based on an empirical case study in Ladakh, India. The study analyses food security strategies of local actors in the context of rapid political and socio-economic change, from an actor-oriented and multiscalar perspective.
Publishing House Franz Steiner (Ger)
10 July 2015
Junior Research Group presents at „Heidelberg Bridge“ Lecture Series
On Monday, July 6th, the Junior Research group presented its ongoing research activities under the topic “Water resource management in arid regions. Current dynamics in the context of urbanization”. The presentation was part of the “Heidelberg Bridge” lecture series that focuses on interdisciplinary exchange and is organized by the Heidelberg Center for the Environment.
Topics and dates of the "Heidelberg Bridge" Colloquium
18 June 2015
Carina Zang back from research in Chile
During May and June 2015 Carina Zang spend six weeks in the northern part of Chile in order to collect information and first water samples for her current PhD project. Interviews with local authorities, professors and private organizations helped her to understand the network of stakeholders involved in agriculture and water use. The water samples collected in the upper catchment of the River Huasco can identify critical zones related to chemical water quality. This information will be used to design her next water sampling campaign.
Photo: C. Zang, May 2015
08 June 2015
Judith Müller back from research in Ladakh
From March to May 2015 Judith Müller conducted empirical research regarding water infrastructure in Leh (Ladakh) for her ongoing PhD study. Through qualitative interviews and observations she could gain more information about the current water infrastructure project. In addition, a household survey helped her understand the water usage of Leh’s inhabitants and the various urbanization processes that are underway. Social, ecological and political aspects related to the management of water resources are the focus of attention.
Photo: J. Müller; Apr. 2015
22 April 2015
Poster presentation at the European Geoscience Union (EGU) General Assembly 2015
The annual General Assembly of the EGU is the biggest meeting of geoscientists throughout Europe. At this year’s conference, which took place in Vienna from 12-17 April, results from Carina Zang’s master thesis have been presented under the title “Inferring runoff generation processes through high resolution spatial and temporal UV-Vis absorbance measurements in a mountainous headwater catchment in Southern Ecuador” (authors: D. Windhorst, S. Schob, C. Zang, P. Crespo & L. Breuer).
European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2015
12 February 2015
Presentations at the annual conference of the Study Group South Asia in the German Geographical Society (DGfG) in Göttingen, January 23-24 2015
At the annual conference of the Study Group South Asia which took place in Göttingen from 23-24 January 2015, scholars discussed current challenges in South Asia from a geographical perspective. Dr. Juliane Dame spoke on multilocal livelihoods in the Indian Himalayas („Multilokalität im Himalaya: Diversifizierung der Lebenssicherung und neue Mobilität in Ladakh, Nordindien“). Judith Müller presented part of her doctoral research project („Urbanisierung und Wassermanagement in Leh (Ladakh) - Eine politisch-ökologische Analyse im indischen Himalaya.“).
South Asia Study Group within the DGfG
16 January 2015
Carina Zang back from Chile
Carina Zang visited Chile in November and December 2014. During the stay, she gained a broad overview of current challenges of water management in the country. For this purpose, she conducted interviews with researchers based at universities and research organisations. In addition, she took part in a workshop on hydrological modelling with the software WEAP using the case study area of Limarí.
Visiting four catchment areas in Northern Chile, she gained insight knowledge on local water management and resource use conflicts as well as on the current drought the arid regions of the country are facing.
Photo: C. Zang; Dec. 2014
08 December 2014
Juliane Dame back from teaching and research in Chile
Junior Research Group Leader Juliane Dame visited Chile for a two month stay between October and December 2014. Here, she conducted empirical research on water conflicts in the context of the current research project “Environment and Health”.
Dr. Juliane Dame also gave classes in the Master’s programme Governance of Risks and Resources at the Heidelberg Center for Latin America (HCLA). As part of a module on research methods, she led a field trip to the city of Valparaíso together with Johanna Höhl (HCLA) dealing with the topic “Large fire of Valparaíso – risk and governance”.
Photo: J. Dame; Nov. 2014
Heidelberg Center for Latin America (HCLA)
Newspaper report on the excursion in El Mercurio
21 November 2014
Judith Müller visits Ladakh for pilot study
In November Judith Müller travelled to her study area in Ladakh, Northern India, to gather information and empirical data about water infrastructure and urbanization in Leh. The data collected will serve to prepare her upcoming field study in spring 2015.
Foto: J. Müller; Nov. 2014
30 October 2014
Latin American Conference on Political Ecology in Santiago de Chile
The first Latin American Conference on Political Ecology was held at the University of Chile in Santiago from 21 – 24 October 2014 (Congreso Latinoamericano de Ecología Política). During the four-day event, two Master’s theses supervised by Juliane Dame, in the study programme Governance of Risks and Resources, were presented. Tomás Usón (who joined the Department of Geography at Heidelberg University in November 2014) presented his results on the water conflict in San Pedro de Melipilla from a political ecology perspective. Malik Ferkovic gave a talk on environmental governance and the example of the implementation of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) in Chile.
The Master’s study programme Governance of Risks and Resources is offered at Heidelberg Center for Latin America (HCLA) in cooperation with the University of Chile and the Pontificia Catholic University of Chile. .
15 October 2014
Judith Müller joins the research group
Judith Müller (M.A.) joined the Junior Research Group in October 2014 as a Ph.D. candidate. In her research project she is studying water management in the context of advancing urbanisation in the city of Leh, North India. Focus will lie on analysing power relations of the multiple actors in a postcolonial context.
Judith Müller earned her Master’s degree in Geography and Communication at the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz in June 2014. In her master thesis “Identity and National Park – The Gorani in Kosvo” she analysed interactions of different actors in an international national park project from a postcolonial perspective. In her ongoing dissertation, she will as well integrate both human and physical geographical approaches.
01 September 2014
Carina Zang joins the research group
Carina Zang (M.Sc.) has joined the research team in September 2014. She has accomplished a B.Sc. in nutritional science and an M.Sc. in Environment and Resource Management at the Justus-Liebig University Gießen. In her Master thesis (Snapshot Sampling of hydro-chemical parameter in an ecosystem in the ecuadorian Andes) she analysed land use impacts on nutrient outflows in stream waters. In her dissertation project she benefits from these experiences looking at land use changes in the context of intensifying agricultural production in arid regions. With a case study in Chile she will assess human-environment dynamics following an integrative approach that combines hydrological and socio-empirical research.
30 May 2014
Interdisciplinary seminar „Environment and Health“
In the summer term 2014 a second interdisciplinary seminar within the Marsilius Kolleg is jointly organised with Prof. Dr. Albrecht Jahn (IPH) and Dr. Rafael Bauschke (Institut für Politische Wissenschaft). Focus will lie on global challenges such as environmental degradation and its impacts on health. Hereby national strategies to counter adverse effects of environmental changes on human well-being as well as respective concepts from the different disciplines – medicine, geography and political science – will be discussed.
Seminar description in the LSF (Ger)
25 October 2013
Interdisciplinary seminar (Marsilius Study Program)
In the Winter term 2013/14 Prof. Dr. Albrecht Jahn (IPH), Dr. Rafael Bauschke (Institut für Politische Wissenschaft) and Juliane Dame (HCE) jointly organised an interdisciplinary seminar within the Marsilius Study Program: „Von globalen Problemen zu (keinen) globalen Lösungen? Umweltveränderungen, Gesundheit und die Frage der politischen Strategien".
More information on the Marsilius Study Program
Seminar description in the LSF (Ger)
21 October 2013
Anne Ulrich joins the research group
Since October, Dipl.-Geogr. Anne Ulrich has joined the junior research group as academic research associate. She is the contact person during the parental leave of Juliane Dame and can be reached via e-mail at ulrich@sai.uni-heidelberg.de.
10 October 2013
Posterprize
First results from the junior research group project have been presented at the 58th Geographentag in Passau, from 2nd-8th October. The poster presentation on “Urbanisation in the Himalayas: The case study of Leh, Northern India“ (Authors: Juliane Dame, Marcus Nüsser and Susanne Schmidt) was honoured with the 2nd prize.
08 October 2013
Wilhelm-Lauer-Prize
HCE Junior Research Group Leader Dr. Juliane Dame was honored with the Wilhelm Lauer Prize for her doctoral thesis entitled "Ernährungssicherung im Hochgebirge. Eine akteursorientierte Studie in Ladakh, Nordindien"(Food Security in the High Mountains. An Actor-oriented Study in Ladakh, Northern India) supervised by Prof. Dr. Marcus Nüsser (South Asia Institute, Department of Geo-graphy). The awarding took place at the central ceremony at the 58th Deutscher Geographentag in Passau.
Website of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geographie 
(Ger)
26 September 2013
Independent Science and Partnership Council (CGIAR) Science Forum
Joint participation of Juliane Dame and cooperation partner Sabine Gabrysch (IPH) at the CGIAR-Science Forum „Nutrition and health outcomes: targets for agricultural research” from 23rd- 25th September in Bonn. The biennial CGIAR Science Forum brings together scientists, practitioners, experts, and leading thinkers to examine emerging challenges and recent scientific advances in the areas of nutrition, health and agriculture. The Forum seeks to identify key research areas where there is real potential to deliver impacts and – critically – it aims to facilitate the formation of new partnerships to address them.
More information on the Science Forum
21 April 2013
16th Conference of the International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS)
The 16th Conference of The International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS) has taken place at the Department of Geography, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University, Germany, 17.-20. April 2013. Under the overarching topic „Society and Environment in Ladakh: Historical Perspectives and Recent Dynamics“, senior scientists, young researchers and practitioners discussed different topics related to Ladakh and its neighbouring mountain regions. Following the tradition of the IALS, the conference had an explicitly interdisciplinary character.
Participants at the 16th Conference of the International Association for Ladakh Studies,
Photo: J. Anhorn
Press release of Heidelberg University
Conference report Ladakh Studies
28 February 2013
Ecohealth Colloquium: Presentation of the Junior Research Group
The project of the Junior Research Group “Environment and Health in arid regions” was presented and discussed within the Ecohealth-colloquium – coordinated by Dr. Thomas Jänisch and Dr. Sabine Gabrysch - at Heidelberg Institute for Public Health.