Bjørn Thomassen
Bjørn Thomassen
B.A., M.A., Anthropology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark Ph.D., Political and Social Sciences, European University Institute, Florence Postdoctoral researcher, Sociology, University College of Cork, Ireland Associate Professor, Chair of the Department of International Relations Professor Thomassen’s professional interests cover a wide range of topics within the social and political sciences which he continues to develop in tandem with his teaching at the American University of Rome. He has done research on nationalism and the anthropology of borders and boundaries (the focus of his Ph.D. thesis). He is publishing on both anthropological and political theory. He is particularly interested in how anthropological ideas and approaches can inform political and social theory and the study of contemporary politics. His research agenda also includes the study of memory and identity politics (especially as related to the Italian debate). He has published on International Relations theory, especially from the perspective of long-term history and comparative civilization. His teaching areas include thematic courses in anthropology, politics, sociology and history and regional courses on Urban Rome, Italy, the Mediterranean and the Balkans.
Associate Professor, Chair of the Department of International Relations
Ph.D., European University Institute
B.A., M.A., University of Copenhagen
Professor Thomassen holds a Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.) in Political and Social Science at the European University Institute, Department of Political and Social Sciences, Florence; BA and MA Degrees in Anthropology, Institute of Anthropology, Department of Political and Social Science, University of Copenhagen. He has been chair of theDepartment of International Relations since 2008. Before coming to AUR he taught at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and at the University College of Cork, Ireland.
Professor Thomassen is co-chief editor of the peer-reviewed Journal, International Political Anthropology. He also co-organizes a yearly Summer School in International Political Anthropology (IPASS) in Florence, for post-graduate students working within the intersections of anthropology and politics.
Professor Thomassen works free-lance as commentator on Italian politics and society for the Danish and International press.
Professional interests
Professor Thomassen’s professional interests cover a wide range of topics within the social and political sciences, and continue to develop in tandem with his teaching at the AUR. He has done research on nationalism and the anthropology of borders and boundaries (the focus of his Ph.D. thesis). He is publishing on both anthropological and political theory. He is particularly interested in how anthropological ideas and approaches can inform political and social theory and the study of contemporary politics. His research agenda also includes the study of memory and identity politics (especially as related to the Italian debate). He has published on International Relations theory, especially from the perspective of long-term history and comparative civilization. Professor Thomassen is currently engaged in a joint European research project that seeks to compare current globalization with earlier “global ages”. He is also engaged in the study of the city in which he lives: Rome and its changing faces.
“The Uses and Meanings of Liminality”, in International Political Anthropology, vol. 2, no. 1
ITALY FROM BELOW AND FROM THE OUTSIDE-IN: AN ISTRIAN LIFE STORY ACROSS THE ITALO-YUGOSLAV BORDER
Teaching
Professor Thomassen teaches across the AUR curriculum. His teaching areas include thematic courses in anthropology, politics, sociology and history. He teaches regional courses on Urban Rome, Italy, the Mediterranean and the Balkans. He has 10 years of experience in teaching and student advising. These are some of the courses taught at AUR:
- Recent political theory
- Politics of the Balkans
- Capstone Thesis Course
- Globalization: Political, Cultural and Economic dimensions
- The Anthropology of the Mediterranean World
- Conflict and Peace in the Mediterranean Area
- The Junior Research Seminar (research methodology)
- Contemporary Italian Culture and Society
- Sociology of Contemporary Italy
- Ethnicity and nationalism in Europe
- History of 20th century Italy
- Introduction to Anthropology
- The Modern Tribes of Rome
- Survey of Western Civilizations, I
- Survey of Western Civilizations, II
- Public Speaking in International Relations
Research:
Thomassen, Bjørn (2007) Culture and politics : the challenge of the new ‘identity politics’. Processi Storici e Politiche di Pace (3).
Garzarelli, Giampaolo and Thomassen, Bjørn (2006) Is state building the road to world order? MPRA.
Thomassen, Bjørn (2006) Alexander the Great as charismatic leader : a Weberian perspective on the life and death of Alexander. In: AUR Interdisciplinary Workshop, "Who was Alexander the Great?", October 11, 2005, Rome, Italy. (Unpublished)
Others:
When Bjørn is not working and when he is not reading Plato or Kierkegaard (it happens), he likes to go for a walk or a run in the nearby Pamphili park; get lost in the streets of Rome; shop in the Roman markets; cook for his family and friends; play with his two daughters; learn new languages; travel to other worlds; speak to people he does not know; drink Italian wines that he does know. He is one of those Romans who believe that AS Roma is the greatest football team in the World, and that the beauty of the city of Rome is both endless and eternal.