Josephine Schmollinger

My research interests focus mainly on the ways modern communities interact with the archaeology and built heritage of the lands they inhabit. I am interested in the intersection between archaeology, heritage, and politics, specifically the uses of archeology and cultural heritage in identity construction, as well as the relationship between cultural heritage and conflict. Most of my work has focused on Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Currently, I am working on projects exploring both archaeology and nationalism in the Caucasus, as well as the impact of foreign-funded mosque reconstruction projects in Bosnia on religious culture of that region.

I am currently a sophomore majoring in Anthropology with a concentration in Archaeology and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations with a concentration in the Ancient Near East. My work so far has been driven by the desire to find ways to negotiate the frameworks each of these fields provide for understanding culture- exploring the role of the classically-trained archaeologist in solving modern-day heritage issues.