The National Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku) is a research center for ethnology and cultural anthropology.

Staff Members

SHIMAMURA Ippei
SHIMAMURA IppeiSHIMAMURA Ippei
Department of Cross-Field Research・Associate Professor
Research Specialization
  • Cultural Anthropology and Mongolian Studies
Individual Research Projects
  • The Interdisciplinary Research on the Glocal Practices of Mongolian Buddhism
Personal website

Academic Qualifications

PhD The Graduate University for Advanced Studies 2010.03
Master (Ethnology) National University of Mongolia 1998.02
B.A.(Law) Waseda University 1993.03

Research Interests

Shimamura’s major interests are Anthropology of Religion and Mongolian Studies i.e. Shamanism, Buddhism and their relationship with ethnicity and/or nationalism in Mongolia.

Current Research Topics

◇ The Interdisciplinary Research on the Glocal Practices of Mongolian Buddhism
◇ Mongolian Hip Hop as an “ethnic tradition”
◇ Buddhism, reincarnation, and view on afterlife among Mongols

Research Keywords

Shamanism, Buddhism, socialism, ethnicity, nationalism, secularization, Hip Hop, Mongolia, Buryat,

Selected Publications

2016
Бөөгийн халдвар-Буриадын бөө мөргөл ба угсаажилт, ШУА-ийн Түүх, Археологийн хүрээлэн: Ulaanbaatar, pp.478.
2014
Uradyn Bulag, Ippei Shimamura and Burensain Borjgin (eds.)Inner Asia Special Issue 16(2) Geopolotics and Geo-Economics in Mongolia: Resource Cosmopolitanism. University of Cambridge: Cambridge, UK. pp.229.
2014
The Roots Seekers: Shamanism and Ethnicity among the Mongol-Buryats, Shumpusha Publishing: Yokohama.
2012
Чингис хаан хэний баатар вэ? : Монгол, Япон, Хятад, Евро-Америк, Оросын харьцуулалтаас, Admon Publishing: Ulaanbaatar. pp.158

Publications (English publications only)

Book
2014
Uradyn Bulag, Ippei Shimamura and Burensain Borjgin (eds.) Inner Asia Special Issue 16(2) Geopolotics and Geo-Economics in Mongolia: Resource Cosmopolitanism. University of Cambridge: Cambridge. pp.229.
2014
The Roots Seekers: Shamanism and Ethnicity among the Mongol-Buryats, Shumpusha Publishing: Yokohama.
Academic Papers
2020
(forthcoming) Magicalized Socialism: An anthropological study on the magical practices of a secularized reincarnated lama in Socialist Mongolia, Asiatische Studien - Études Asiatiques 74(4), Zurich: Swiss Asia Society.
2017
A Pandemic of Shamans: The overturning of social relationships, the fracturing of community, and the diverging of morality in contemporary Mongolian shamanism, SHAMAN 26(2): 93-136,
2016
Migratory Shamans: Shamanic “Propagation” from Mining Town to Mining Town in Mongolia. In Takako Yamada and Toko Fujimoto(eds.) Senri Ethnological Studies 93, Migration and the Remaking of Ethnic/ Micro-Regional Connectedness, National Museum of Ethnology: Osaka, pp.275-292.
2014
Ancestral Sprits Love Mining sites-Shamanic Activities around the coal and gold mining sites in Mongolia. In Uradayn E.Bulag, Ippei Shimamura and Burensain Borjgin (eds.) Inner Asia Special Issue “Geopolotics and Geo-Economics in Mongolia: Resource Cosmopolitanism”16(2): 393-408. University of Cambridge: Cambridge.
2005
The Historical Role of the Nomads in Eurasia: International Symposium(March 19, 2005), Minpaku Anthropology Newsletter 20: 9, Osaka: National Museum of Ethnology: Osaka.
2004a
The Movement for Reconstructing Identity through Shamanism : A case study of the Aga-Buryats in Post-socialist Mongolia, Inner Asia 6(2): 197-214,  University of Cambridge: Cambridge.
2004b
Yellow Shaman. In M.N.Walter and E.J.Friedman (eds.) Shamanism: An Encyclopedia of World Beliefs, Practices, and Culture, ABC-CLIO: Santa Barbara, pp.649-652.
2002
The Roots-Seeking Movement Among the Aga-Buryats: New lights on their shamanism, History of Suffering, and Diaspora. In Konagaya Yuki(ed.) Mongolian Culture Studies IV - A People Divided: Buriyat Mongols in Russia, Mongolia and China, 88-110. International Society for The Study of the Culture and Economy of the Ordos Mongols (OMS E.V.): Cologne.
2000
Darkhad Shamanism: The cult of vengeful spirit of shamans, BULLETIN The IAMS News on Mongol Studies No1(25), No2(26): 43-50. International Association of Mongol Studies: Ulaanbaatar.

Presentations

2019a
Magicalized Socialism- An anthroological study on magical practices of a secularized reincarnated lama and his followers in socialist Mongolia. Third International Conference on Mongolian Buddhism Mongolian Buddhism:Tradition and Innovation, Eötvös Loránd University: Budapest, Hungary(2019.4.25)
2019b
Divergent Nationalisms: Plural Imaginations on “Mongolian” Buddhism among Mongol Monks, International Workshop “Religion, Politics, and National Identity in Mongolia Today”, University of Bern: Bern.(2019.4.23) (Invited Lecture)
2019c
“Ид шиджүүлсэн социализм-Завхан аймагт хийсэн хээрийн судалгааны зарим үр дүнгээс”, ШУА-ийн Түүх, археологийн хүрээлэнгийн зочин судлаачийн семинарь, Ulaanbaatar (2019.3.29)
2018
“The Invocation Songs of Mongolian Shamanism and HipHop”, International Workshop on “Shamanism from the viewpoints of America, Mongol and Okinawa”, University of Ryukyus: Naha, Okinawa (2018.6.22)
2016a
The Dependent Resistance on/against the Mining Development: A Case Study on Shamanic Activities around a copper-gold mining site in Mongolia, International Symposium “Environment of Northeast Asia: Cultural Perception and Policy Engagement”, Tohoku University: Sendai. (2016.12.3, Invited Presentation)
2016b
“The aim of the workshop”, “Closing Adress” , International workshop “Between Secularity and Religion: Shamanic and Buddhist Practices in Mongolia –Past and Present” the University of Shiga Prefecture: Hikone, Shiga, Japan. (2016.11.25)
2016c
Шига Мужын Их Сургууль дахь Монгол судлал ба Сургалт, International Symposium “Монгол судлалын сургалт, судалгааны өнөөгийн байдал, хэтийн төлөв”, National University of Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar. (2016.8.19-20)
2016d
What’s Behind A Pandemic of Shamans? : The overturning of social relationships and the diverging of morality in contemporary Mongolian shamanism. The 11th International Congress of Mongolists, August.15-17th, National University of Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar.
2014a
‘Migratory Shamans: Shamanic "Propagation" from Mining Town to Mining Town in Mongolia’. International Workshop “Migration and the Remarking of Ethnic/ Micro-Regional Connectedness”, National Museum of Ethnology: Osaka. (2014 12.7-8)
2014b
Монголын Буриадын бөө мөргөл ба угсаажилт, ШУА-ийн Түүх, археологийн хүрээлэнгийн зочин судлаачийн семинарь, Ulaanbaatar(20th March)
2013
ANCESTRAL SPIRITS LOVE MINING SITES:SHAMANIC ACTIVITIES AROUND THE COAL AND GOLD MINING SITES IN MONGOLIA, International Symposium (In Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Mongolia-UK Diplomatic Relations) Geopolitics and Geoeconomics of Mongolia's Natural Resource Strategy, University of Cambridge: Cambridge, UK.(2013.3.19, Invited Presentation)
2012
Power, Morality, and Ethic―An ethnographic report on the“Pandemic”of shamanism in contemporary Mongolia.MIASU Seminar at Mongolian and Inner Asian Studies Unit, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge: Cambridge, UK.(2012.1.24, Invited Lecture)
2006a
Нийллэг сэтгэлгээний зовлон: Орчин үеийн Монгол дахь шарын бөө гэдэг нэр томьёоны талаарх зөрчи, Монгол дахь Шашины Өнөөгийн Нөхөцөл ба Түүний Судалгаа. Mongolian State University of Education: Ulaanbaatar.(2006.12.8)
2006b
Монголын Буриадын шүтээн онгон “Хойморын Хөгшин ” буриад зоны эх гэгддэг болсон учир, the 9th International Conference of international Association for Mongolian Studie. National University of Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar.(2006.8.8).
2006c
The Creation of Genealogies by shamans among the Aga-Buryats in Post-socialist Mongolia , at the symposium “Representing power in Asia: legitimising, consecrating, contesting. ”: École Pratique des Hautes Études: Paris. (2006.3.23, Invited Lecture)
2005b
The Reconstruction of Ethnic Identity through Shamanism : A case study of the Aga-Buryats in Post-socialist Mongolia, the 19th International Conference of the International Association for the History of Religions, Takanawa Prince Hotel: Tokyo. (2005.3.30)