Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
PUBLICATIONS
Participation in Commitees and Associations
Other Academic activities
Reference Contacts
Timeline
Generic

Karen Ponciano

Social Anthropologist
Oslo,Norge

Overview

31
31
years of professional experience
26
26
years of post-secondary education
3
3
Languages

Work History

Vice Dean, Faculty of Humanities

Universidad Rafael Landívar
09.2021 - Current

Main Tasks: Develop faculty strategic initiatives and participate in university long-term planning and academic policy setting. Provide senior level administrative leadership in areas of curriculum development, institutional assessment and improvement, human resource, faculty development, research, planning and management.

PROFESSOR

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
01.2017 - Current

Responsible for two seminars in the Program of Master in Philosophy


-Cultural Studies seminar

-Research seminar

Professor in Social Anthropology

Department of Anthropology, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala
06.2018 - 08.2021

Professor of Social Anthropology and Anthropology of Religion. Thesis tutor.

Senior Researcher

Universidad Rafael Landívar
09.2016 - 07.2019


Main tasks:

-Conducting a Research on Gender Subjectivities and Religion in Guatemala.

-Member of the Committee for an institutional Gender and Inclusion Policy

-Coordination of the Gender and Feminism Program at the VRIP (Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Proyección de la Universidad Rafael Landívar)

-Member of the Editorial Committee of EUTOPIA Journal

Visiting Research Scholar

Center for Latin American Studies, University of Floridad
Gainesville, Florida
07.2015 - 06.2016

Main tasks:

Participation in activities related to the Research Program on Immigration, Religion and Social Change.

Worked on my book final draft “Peasant movements and the CICM missionary work in Guatemalan’s Pacific Coast”.

Director

IIHR (Institute for Social Anthropological Research on Religious Change in Guatemala), URL
01.2012 - 06.2015

Main tasks:

- Improve management strategies, develop broad and specific objectives of the IIHR, upgrade budgets, policies and procedures to enhance the institutional infrastructure.

-Development of a new research agenda based on six subjects with an interdisciplinary approach

1)Memory, History and religious diversification

2)State, Violence and religion

3)Migration and religious change

4)Identity and religious movements

5)The politics of religious diversification in Guatemala

6) Gender subjectivities and religion

-Responsible for grant and funding applications

-Research with women, religious and survivors organizations of the Civil War in Guatemala

-Research Project: Religious diversification and Political change in Guatemala’s Pacific Coast

-Organization of a Religion research network within Central America and Mexico, with internationally funded projects

-Coordination of an indexed publication on social and religion transformation.

Consultant

OIE (Organización Iberoamericana para la Educación y la Cultura)
Mexico , Mexico
01.2010 - 12.2011

Evaluation of the PAEE Programme (Programa de Escuelas Abiertas para la Equidad –Open Schools Program for Equity) in 500 secondary schools in Mexico.

Main tasks: Monitoring, Evaluation and Sistematization of PAEE’s experience (Programa de Escuelas Abiertas para la Equidad) in Mexico, particularly in two critical and high risk regions (DURANGO and Ciudad Juarez) . The job included:

- Constant visits and interviews to key actors in those regions.

- Analysis of regional, social and political environment

- Evaluation of the way the PAEE is being applied in those regions. Assets and obstacles. - Design and participation in workshops and focus groups

- Field work in La Laguna (Durango), meeting women and young actors and their communities (involved in the program)

- Production of a Research document: the experience of the PAEE in Mexico, critical view and practical recommendations.

Research Associate

AVANCSO (Asociación para el Avance de las Ciencias Sociales, Guatemala)
01.2005 - 06.2008

Subjects: Socio-religious movements in Central America, Post-war organization. Critical history, Memory and History relations in Guatemala

Main tasks:

-Social/ political research with permanent contact with women, social and religious organizations, Ngo’s and international development/cooperation institutions.

-Management of research projects within the following fields: social organizations and religious movements in Guatemala, a critical view of social and rural development in Guatemala, history and critical theory –specially within the feminist theoretical framework.

-Memory and History in Guatemala: new approaches on the Guatemalan civil war, focusing on religious agents and aiming to comprehend the actual political and social situation.


PROFESSOR

FLACSO (FACULTAD LATINOAMERICANA DE CIENCIAS SOCIALES
01.2005 - 11.2005

Professor at FLACSO, Guatemala. Thesis Seminar at the Master Program in Social Sciences

Main task: Conducting a Seminar given to master students in Social Sciences, following up their thesis work.

PhD. Position.

EHESS, Paris, France
09.2000 - 06.2004

Member of the Research Group on Interdisciplinary Studies on Religion at EHESS, Paris. (Laboratoire CEIFR –

Centre d’Études Interdisciplinaires des Faits Religieux)

Field Service Worker

UNESCO-Instituto Tulán MuniKAT
07.2000 - 08.2000

Member of the professional team in charge of the following courses: Economic Anthropology and Sociology of organizations, in eight different rural communities in Guatemala.

Research Consultant

INCEP (Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios Políticos)
01.1996 - 07.1996

Main tasks:

-Coordination of the Seminar “Civil Society and Political Parties in Central America”

-Definition of a new Study Area at the INCEP. Objective: enhancement of the relations between social organizations and political parties in Central America. Local development and democratization were among the issues considered.

Assistant Researcher

UCLA, California
09.1994 - 06.1996

Assistant researcher. UCLA, California. Project coordinator: PhD. Susanne Jonas. Research: Peace Processes in Guatemala and El Salvador

Assistant Researcher

FLACSO GUATEMALA
01.1992 - 08.1994

Assistant researcher at FLACSO Guatemala. Projects: Peace Process in Guatemala / Civil Society Organizations and their influence on democratization. Coordination of workshops and seminars. In charge of the liaison with refugee organizations, unions, political parties, women and indigenous organizations, NGO’s and international aid/cooperation/development/confessional organizations.

Education

Ph.D. - Social Anthropology

EHESS
PARIS, France
09.2000 - 05.2004

Master Studies - International Development Studies

ROSKILDE UNIVERSITY CENTER
ROSKILDE, DENMARK
09.1996 - 06.1998

DEA (Diplôme D’Études Approfondies) -

Institut D´études Politiques Et Sociales/Sorbonne
Paris, France
09.1998 - 06.1999

Danish Proficiency Diploma -

Studieskolen
Copenhagen, Denmark
09.1996 - 05.1997

Licenciatura (equivalent To A Graduate Degree) - International Relations/Political Science

USAC
Guatemala
01.1990 - 11.1995

Translator French/Spanish -

Alliance Francaise
01.1991 - 11.1992

Baccaleuréat -

Lycée Français Jules Verne
01.1978 - 06.1989

Skills

Strong experience in dealing with multicultural environments

undefined

PUBLICATIONS

• Ponciano, Karen (2021). Organización y participación política de las juventudes en Guatemala. Guatemala: NIMD, Swedish Embassy.

• Ponciano, Karen. (2021). Cartas entre nosotras: de violencias y acosos (bis). Guatemala: La Cuerda/Plaza Pública

• Ponciano, Karen. (2021) Max Leiva: el gesto del escultor. Revista USAC 48: pp.69-81

• Ponciano, Karen (forthcoming). Trabajo doméstico y élites: la política de los cuerpos “inmunes” frente al COVID-19. Guatemala: Ediciones Casa Pensativa.

• Ponciano, Karen (2020). Book review: Hunted: Predation and Pentecostalism in Guatemala , O'Neill, Kevin Lewis ( Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2019). AMERICAN ETHNOLOGIST

• Ponciano, Karen. (2020). Cuerpos danzantes: movilizando una agenda política sin fronteras. Periódico LA CUERDA. Guatemala.

• Ponciano, Karen. (2020) Geografías feministas: de violencias y acosos. Agencia OCOTE.

• Ponciano, Karen.(2020) Prólogo a Resortes de la organización en el campo. Guatemala,

1975-1980. Guatemala: AVANCSO, USAC, URL

• Ponciano, Karen. (2019). Gender and Space during Guatemala’s Holy Week: an ethnographic account. Religions Journal 10: (76), pp. 2-21.

• Ponciano, Karen. (2019). “Mi lugar es con María, no con Jesús”: Relaciones espaciales y construcción de género durante la Semana Santa en Guatemala. Revista Península. UNAM XIV: (2), pp. 121-153.

• Ponciano, Karen. (2019). ¿El Género como frontera en espacios religiosos? Reflexiones a partir de una experiencia de campo.

• Ponciano, Karen. (2018) Cuerpos sucios que limpian: la servidumbre doméstica o la viga en el ojo del feminismo blanco. Ensayo Seminario Género y Feminismos. Guatemala: ILI/Documento interno

• Ponciano, Karen. (2017). “Era como un renacimiento llegar aquí”. La implantación misionera de la Congregación del Inmaculado Corazón de María en la Costa Sur de Guatemala. En:

Revista Sendas. Guatemala: CARA PARENS

• Ponciano, Karen, Lizbeth Gramajo & Juan Vandeveire (2016). Lucha campesina y trabajo pastoral en la Costa Sur de Guatemala. Guatemala: Verdad y Vida & Comité de Solidaridad Holandesa.

• Ponciano, Karen. “Así empezó nuestra historia": El Naranjo, lucha agraria y movilización religiosa 1954-1980 en la Costa Sur. Congreso Centroamericano de Historia, julio 2014

• Ponciano, Karen (2013). “Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa. Familia de Dios: surgimiento, eclipse y duelo” in SENDAS, Revista del Instituto de Investigaciones del Hecho Religioso (IIHR), Año 1, vol.1 sep.

• Ponciano, Karen (2012-2015) Articles in Plaza Pública (Investigative Journalism Digital magazine) http://www.plazapublica.com.gt/users/karen-ponciano “Mi habitación propia. Quizás, Quizás, Quizás”, “Alejandra y su Rosa de Jamaica”, “Los grises”, “País de trastornos”, “Vida Sitiada”, “El Naranjo, “Claro Oscuro”, “Viajes por cuerpos devastados”, “Terror en la tierra del Espíritu Santo”, “La claridad”, “De alucinaciones y argucias legales desde NY”, “Asalto a la finca”, “Más allá de la metáfora”, “Claro que sea…food”, “Amor, dolor y lo que traía puesto”, “AVANCSO”, etc.

• Ponciano, Karen et.al. (2011) Región Laguna: la experiencia del PAEE y los cambios sociales emergentes. Historias de violencia y lucha por la vida. OEI

• Peláez L, Mazariegos JC & Ponciano, Karen. (2009). Glosas Nuevas sobre la misma guerra. Rebelión campesina, poder pastoral y genocidio en Guatemala. Guatemala:AVANCSO • Ponciano, Karen. (2009). “Experiencias pastorales y lucha campesina, 1970y 1980”. En: AVANCSO. Glosas nuevas sobre la misma guerra. Rebelión campesina, poder pastoral y genocidio en Guatemala. Textos para Debate,No. 3, Guatemala.

• Ponciano, Karen. (2007). “Mayanización y experiencia religiosa: una lectura a partir de los aportes etnográficos sobre la espiritualidad maya”, En: Aura Cumes y Santiago Bastos (comp.). Mayanización y Vida Cotidiana. La ideología multicultural en la sociedad guatemalteca. FLACSO: Guatemala, pp. 285-307.

• Ponciano, Karen. (2007) “Iglesia y campesinos: construyendo un imaginario de lucha campesina en Guatemala”, in AVANCSO, Aproximación a los imaginarios sobre organización campesina en Guatemala. Ensayos sobre su construcción histórica. Texto para Debate No.19, Guatemala: AVANCSO.

• Ponciano, Karen (ed.) (2007) Construyendo un Método de Reflexividad Crítica. Aportes a los Procesos de Intervención Social. Guatemala: AVANCSO

• Ponciano, Karen (2003) Caléïdoscope de représentations: développement et l’articulation d’un atelier du sujet au Guatemala.EHESS

• (2000-2005) Member of the editorial board of the Journal “El Cadejo”, published by F&G Editores.

• Ponciano, Karen (2000) “Actualidades políticas en material de desarrollo: relaciones con el debate académico”, in Unesco-Munik’at, Ciencias Sociales, Políticas Públicas y Desarrollo, Quetzaltenando, Guatemala.

• Ponciano, Karen, Wahlberg, A. et.al. (1998) A genealogy of empowerment techniques in Development practice. Roskilde University Center

• Ponciano, Karen. (1996) “Sociedad civil organizada y procesos de negociación de paz: algunas reflexiones”, in Revista USAC. Guatemala: USAC, editorial Universitaria.

• Ponciano, Karen (1996). El rol de la sociedad civil en los procesos de paz en Guatemala y El Salvador. Guatemala: INCEP/Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

• Aguilera, Gabriel & Karen Ponciano (1994) El espejo sin reflejo: la negociación de paz en 1993. Guatemala: FLACSO.

• Ponciano, Karen (ed.) (1993) Procesos de negociación comparados: el caso de Guatemala", Cuaderno #8, Guatemala: FLACSO.

• Ponciano, Karen (ed.) (1993) Derechos e Identidad de los pueblos indígenas. Cuaderno #7, Guatemala: FLACSO.

• Ponciano, Karen (coed.) Las propuestas para la paz en Guatemala”, Material de Debate #20, Guatemala: FLACSO.

Participation in Commitees and Associations

• 2007-2020: AVANCSO Member of the Editorial Group for Ricardo Falla’s publications.

• 2017-2019: Member of GASC (Academic and civil Society Board) at United Nations- Women –Guatemala.

• 2013-2015 Member of the Editorial Board of IIHR’s journal

• 2013-? Member of the “Asociación de Amigos de Plaza Pública” (Plaza Pública is a digital media with special focus on investigative journalism in Guatemala)

• 2003 Member of “Solidarios para el Desarrollo” Madrid, Spain

• 2003 Volunteer at “Quart Monde”,Madrid, Spain

• 2000-2002 Volunteer at “Collectif Guatemala”, Paris

Other Academic activities

• 2012-2019: Participation/Coordination in Seminars, Conferences or Book Presentations such as:

- workshop on Gender and Religion

- Participation at the annual conference of the Western Association of Women Historians (2019)

- Coordinator of the Seminar on Gender and Feminisms at the Universidad Rafael Landívar (URL) -2017, 2018.

- Binational Seminar México-Guatemala on border issues (migration, social issues, religious networks, gender and violence) in June 2015, November 2016, February 2017, November 2017, June 2018, November 2018, May 2019.

- Keynote conference at the Seminar “Religious fundamentalism and its impact on citizenship and democracy”, FLACSO, Guatemala, julio 2018

- Conference on Gender and Religion at Semana Científica Universidad Rafael Landívar 2017, 2018.

- Conference at the Guatemalan Scholar Network Seminar, julio 2017, 2013

- Participation at the Annual Conference Crime Scape in the Americas (Gainesville March 2016)

- Coordination and Participation at the Seminar “Sociedad, Poder, Cultura y Religión” (URL, Jul. 2015)

- Participation at the SSSR meeting (Indianapolis, Oct. 2014)

- Congreso Centroamericano de Historia (San Salvador, July 2014)

- John Early. The Maya and Catholicism: an encounter of World Views. Presentation of the Spanish Edition in Guatemala (2012)

- 4 different workshops with religious organizations at regional level. Topics: Environmental conflicts and the role of community/religious based organizations in Guatemala; Violence, State and the agency of local religious organizations…

- Member of the coordination team for the Edition (in progress) of anthropologist Ricardo Falla’s collected works (40 years of research activity)

- Presentation of the Spanish Edition Virginia Garrard-Burnett. Terror in the Land of the

Holy Spirit: Guatemala under General Efraín Ríos Montt, 1982-1983. Guatemala (2013)

- Coordination at the Central American Anthropology Congress of the table “Religious change in Central America and Mexico”

- Conferences on religious diversification, violence and the State in south Guatemala - Member of the UNESCO promoted Interreligious Dialogue in Guatemala.

• Peer reviewer for AVANCSO publications since 2006

• 2002 Visiting Professor at the UAM (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid): Historical perspective on Maya Ethnology / The institutionalization of ethnographic knowledge in the developmental imaginary under the revolutionary period in Guatemala.

• 1998-2001 Periodic presentations in seminars (work in progress) at the École de Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, (EHESS), Paris

• 1992-1995: Participation and/or organization of seminars and workshops on: Negotiation process and Conflict Resolution; Peace Processes in Latin America, Military reconversion, Human Rights and Indigenous Rights, Development and social organization, among others.

Reference Contacts

• Robert Brenneman, Director, Criminal and Restorative Justice Program, Goshen College, Indiana, rbrenneman@goshen.edu

• Mariel Aguilar-Støen, Professor (SUM, UiO) (m.c.a.stoen@sum.uio.no)

• Clara Arenas (clara.clarebi@gmail.com), Director of AVANCSO (Asociación para el Avance de las Ciencias Sociales en Guatemala), Guatemala

• Ricardo Falla s.j. PhD. (rfallasj@gmail.com)

Timeline

Vice Dean, Faculty of Humanities

Universidad Rafael Landívar
09.2021 - Current

Professor in Social Anthropology

Department of Anthropology, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala
06.2018 - 08.2021

PROFESSOR

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
01.2017 - Current

Senior Researcher

Universidad Rafael Landívar
09.2016 - 07.2019

Visiting Research Scholar

Center for Latin American Studies, University of Floridad
07.2015 - 06.2016

Director

IIHR (Institute for Social Anthropological Research on Religious Change in Guatemala), URL
01.2012 - 06.2015

Consultant

OIE (Organización Iberoamericana para la Educación y la Cultura)
01.2010 - 12.2011

Research Associate

AVANCSO (Asociación para el Avance de las Ciencias Sociales, Guatemala)
01.2005 - 06.2008

PROFESSOR

FLACSO (FACULTAD LATINOAMERICANA DE CIENCIAS SOCIALES
01.2005 - 11.2005

PhD. Position.

EHESS, Paris, France
09.2000 - 06.2004

Ph.D. - Social Anthropology

EHESS
09.2000 - 05.2004

Field Service Worker

UNESCO-Instituto Tulán MuniKAT
07.2000 - 08.2000

DEA (Diplôme D’Études Approfondies) -

Institut D´études Politiques Et Sociales/Sorbonne
09.1998 - 06.1999

Master Studies - International Development Studies

ROSKILDE UNIVERSITY CENTER
09.1996 - 06.1998

Danish Proficiency Diploma -

Studieskolen
09.1996 - 05.1997

Research Consultant

INCEP (Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios Políticos)
01.1996 - 07.1996

Assistant Researcher

UCLA, California
09.1994 - 06.1996

Assistant Researcher

FLACSO GUATEMALA
01.1992 - 08.1994

Translator French/Spanish -

Alliance Francaise
01.1991 - 11.1992

Licenciatura (equivalent To A Graduate Degree) - International Relations/Political Science

USAC
01.1990 - 11.1995

Baccaleuréat -

Lycée Français Jules Verne
01.1978 - 06.1989
Karen PoncianoSocial Anthropologist