Rasmus Christian Elling

Assistant professor

Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies
Snorresgade 17-19
2300 København S

Office hours: Onsdage 13:30-14:30. Svarer på emails om onsdagen
Phone: +45 51 30 35 65
Phone (Reception desk): +45 353-28900
E-mail: elling@hum.ku.dk

Primary research areas

I am interested in sociological and historical questions of identity, ideology, space, cities and culture in the modern Middle East. These interests have inspired me to do research on ethnic minorities, nationalism and identity politics in post-revolutionary Iran; on urban violence - particularly the connections between collective violence, social control and spatial politics in oil cities such as Abadan; and on youth culture (including Hip Hop), student movements, martyrdom culture and internet media in contemporary Iran.

Keywords:

Urban sociology, spatial politics; ethnic minorities, national identity, the politics of culture; post-revolutionary politics; Persian language (Farsi) and literature; Iranian popular- and youth culture.

Current research

I am currently involved with the 'Urban Violence in the Middle East' project (ZMO, Berling and SOAS, London). As an extention of this, I am working on urban violence in the oil city of Abadan in the 1940s, and more generally the urban sociology of Tehran, Istanbul and other megacities of the Middle East.

I am also following up my book on ethnic minorities in post-revolutionary Iran with case studies in various aspects of identity politics.

Teaching

Have taught following courses:

BA-level: Elementals of Persian Language; Persian, verbal communication; Communicative Persian; Persian-Danish translation; Danish-Persian translation; Iran's History in Overview with Methodology; Afghanistan and Central Asia's Modern History.

MA-level: Structure and Change in the History of the Modern Middle East; Minorities in the Middle East; Political and Economic Systems in the Middle East; Subculture, counterculture and minorities in Iran; Totalitarianism and the Middle East. Planned for 2014: The Anthropology and Sociology of the Middle East (with Daniella Kuzmanovic).

Can supervise BA and MA students interested in the modern politics, societies and cultures of the Middle East and Central Asia.

Areas of interest

Politics, identity, culture, urban studies, ideology, violence; Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Middle East, Caucasus, Turkey; Iranian and Turkic languages and literature.