Johana Wyss

Trained as a social anthropologist (Oxon 2018), I am a tenured researcher at the Institute of Ethnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, originally from Opava, Czech Silesia. Growing up, I was fascinated by the ambiguity and plasticity of the borderland region, a curiosity that later shaped my theoretical and ethnographic explorations. My research delves into mnemonic politics, commemorative practices, identity negotiations, transnational borderlands, and the legacies of forced expulsions. These themes are reflected in my forthcoming book, “Collective Memory and Identity in Czech Silesia,” to be published by CEU Press. As of January 2024, I am leading the ERC-funded project MEMPOP: Memory and Populism from Below, which investigates the intersections of memory and populism at the grassroots level, focusing on how local memory practices shape and are shaped by populist dynamics in the borderlands. When I’m not immersed in research, I enjoy spending time with my family, cooking, and engaging in sports like jogging, occasional skiing, and Reformer Pilates.