Laurence Douny, PhD

Monographs & Books

Douny, L. 2014. Living in a Landscape of Scarcity: Materiality and Cosmology in West Africa. London: Routledge.

Harris, S., Douny, L. 2014. Wrapping and Unwrapping Material Culture: Archaeological and Anthropological Perspectives. London: Routledge.

Articles in Edited Volumes

Douny, L. 2019. »Slavery histories from the peripheries: the making of heritage landscapes in Western Burkina Faso.« In Atlantic Perspectives. Places, Spirits and Heritage, edited by Balkenhol M., Blanes R., Sarró R. London: Berghahn Books, 233-248.

Douny, L. 2015. »Wild Silk Indigo Textiles of West Africa: An Ethnography of Materials.« In The Social Life of Materials: Studies in Materials & Society, edited by Kuechler, S., Drazin, A. London: Bloomsbury, 101-118.

Articles

Douny, L. 2024. »West African Wild Silks: A Conjuncture of Material Temporalities.« In Materials and Time. The Anthology, special issue. Thebaud-Sorger, M.; Bensaude-Vincent, B.; Christie, J. R.R.; Quirke, V.; Rainhorn, J.; Thibault-Starzyk, F.; Werrett, S. Hypotheses: Materials and Time. A project at the crossroad between natural sciences and humanities.
https://materials.hypotheses.org/west-african-wild-silks-a-conjuncture-of-material-temporalities

Bonavia, E., Farmer, J., Mballa-Ekobena, A., Rosenthal, N., Douny, L., Dierichs, K. 2023. »Minimal machines: augmented reality for filament-construction of partially ordered systems in architecture.« Construction Robotics.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s41693-023-00109-3

Onaga, L., Douny, L. 2023. »Making Animal Materials in Time.« Historical Studies in the Natural Sciences, 53 (3): 197-220.
https://doi.org/10.1525/hsns.2023.53.3.197

Douny, L. 2020. »The Material Agency of West African Wild Silk. An Ethnographic Exploration into Marka-Dafing Conceptions of Sheen.« In »Modes of Human Engagement with Materiality: Potentialities of Access to Things« edited by Golivina, K. and Doi, K., special issue. Japanese Review of Cultural Anthropology, 21 (1): 1-23.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.14890/jrca.21.1_291

Douny, L. 2019. »From Pits to Pots: Indigo Dyeing Traditions of the Maransé of Burkina Faso.« In Craft and the Technology of Textiles, edited by Lowengard S., special issue. Society for the History of Technology. Technology’s Stories, 7 (2)
https://doi.org/10.15763/jou.ts.2019.06.13.01

Douny, L. 2018. »Conserving Millet with Potash: Towards a Dogon Epistemology of Materials.« In Le Temps des Aliments, special issue. Techniques & Culture, 69 (1)
https://journals.openedition.org/tc/8850

Douny, L. 2017. »Connecting Worlds through Silk: The Cosmological Significance of Sheen in West African Talismanic Magic.« Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft, 12 (2): 186-209.
https://doi.org/10.1353/mrw.2017.0020

Douny, L. 2013. »Wild Silk Textiles of the Dogon of Mali: The Production, Material Efficacy, and Cultural Significance of Sheen.« Textiles: The Journal of Cloth and Culture, 11 (1): 58-77.
https://doi.org/10.2752/175183513X13588738654891

Douny, L. 2011. »Silk-embroidered garments as transformative processes: layering, inscribing and displaying Hausa material identities.« Journal of Material Culture, 16 (4): 401-415.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1359183511424197

Douny, L. 2011. »The role of earth shrines in the socio-symbolic construction of the Dogon territory: towards a philosophy of containment.« Anthropology & Medicine, 18 (2): 167-179.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13648470.2011.591194

Coupaye, L., Douny, L. 2009. »Dans la Trajectoire des Choses. Comparaison des approches francophones et anglophones contemporaines en anthropologie des techniques.« In Technologies, special issue. Techniques & Culture, 52-53 (1): 12-39.
https://journals.openedition.org/tc/4956

Naji, M., Douny, L. 2009. »The ‘Making’ and ‘Doing’ of the Material World: French Anthropology of Techniques Revisited: Editorial.« Journal of Material Culture, 14 (4): 411-432.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1359183509346184

Douny, L. 2007. »The Materiality of Domestic Waste. The Recycled Cosmology of the Dogon of Mali.« Journal of Material Culture, 12: 309-331.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1359183507081897

Conference Proceedings

Douny, L., Hernández Lobato, J. I., Séré, A., Sawadogo, S., Hengge, R. 2023. »The hunter shirt: the role of Acacia nilotica in fermentative textile dyeing.« Presented at the XXXI International Horticultural Congress (IHC2022): International Symposium on Natural Colorants from Plants. International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), 67-76.
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1361.8

Data Publications

Douny, L. 2024. »West African Wild Silks Techniques: Preserving Marka-Dafing’s Heritage of Knowledge.« Project data report publication.
https://www.emkp.org/west-african-wild-silks-technique/, https://drs.britishmuseum.org/projects/West_African_wild_silks_techniques_Preserving_Marka-Dafing_s_heritage_of_knowledge/228072

Others

Douny, L. 2024. West African Wild Silks: A Conjuncture of Material Temporalities. Materials and Time: The Anthology, edited by Thebaud-Sorger, M., Bensaude-Vincent, B., Christie, J. R.R., Quirke, V., Rainhorn, J., Thibault-Starzyk, F., Werrett, S.
https://materials.hypotheses.org/west-african-wild-silks-a-conjuncture-of-material-temporalities

Exhibitions

Douny, L. (curator), Krauthausen, K. (curator), Sattler, F. (curator), Thindi, T. (film installation). DAOULA | sheen. West African Wild Silk on Its Way. Exhibition. In cooperation with Séré, A., Sawadogo, S., Dayo, L., Dayo, H., Fofana, A., Sakira, S., Dao, D., Sanogo, B., Séré, M., Konate, A., Ilboudo, M. in Burkina Faso and Bonavia, E., Buch, S., Dierichs, K., Eder, M., Farmer, J., Hathroubi, S., Hengge, R., Hernández Lobato, J. I., Illing-Günther, H., Hassoune, S., Mählmann, J., Panzer, M. M., Rešetar, I., Rosenthal, N., Santos Thomas, C., Sauer, C., Sermonet, J., Shone, J., Schneider, M., Strauß, W. in Germany. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Tieranatomisches Theater. 17 November 2022 - 29 April 2023.
https://tieranatomisches-theater.de/en/project/2022-11_daoula-sheen_exhibition_en/

Public Engagement

Bonavia, E., Farmer, J., Douny, L., Krauthausen, K., Sattler, F., Dierichs, K. 2023. Weaving with the Data Glove - From the Cocoon into the Computer and Back Again. Press briefing and public presentation. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Tieranatomisches Theater, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 16 February 2023.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/10084/weaving-with-the-data-glove-fro m-the-cocoon-into-the-computer-and-back-again

Talks & Presentations

Douny, L., Hengge, R., Vouwo Mud Dye: A Material, Microbiological and Cultural Approach to Researching Sustainable Dyes. Talk at the Biocolours 2024, Variety of Materials in Applications of Biocolorants. Helsinki. 6 June 2024.
https://www.helsinki.fi/en/conferences/biocolours2024

Douny, L., Rosenthal, N. West African wild silks: Interdisciplinary Insights on their characterization. Talk at the Fibers of existence: Disordering animals, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin. 4 July 2023.

Krauthausen, K., Sattler, F. (lecturers), Desrosiers, S., Vallard, A. (organizers) DAOULA: Weaving an Exhibition from Interdisciplinary Research Strands. Talk at the Les objets comme source: les textiles et leurs matériaux. III (UE 181), EHESS, Paris. Presentation of the interdisciplinary research structure in the project Weaving at the Cluster of Excellence „Matters of Activity“ and how to accompany, motivate and reflect an highly interdisciplinary research via the exhibition DAOULA (curated by L. Douny, K. Krauthausen, S. Sattler)". Hybrid. 1 March 2023.
https://enseignements.ehess.fr/2022-2023/ue/181

Bonavia, E., Mballa-Ekobena, A., Farmer, J., Douny, L., Rosenthal, N., Stoll, M., Wenig, C., Dierichs, K. Augmented Spinning: Haptic Construction of a Filament-based Architectural Material System. Talk at the 25th Annual DRHA Conference »Digital Matters: Designing/Performing Agency for the Anthropocene«, Scene, Atmosphere & Architecture. Heilig-Geist-Kapelle, Berlin. Organized by the Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity. Image Space Material«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, in cooperation with the Cluster of Excellence EXC 2020 »Temporal Communities: Doing Literature in a Global Perspective«, Freie Universität Berlin, and the practice-based research project »Viral Theatres«. Hybrid. 5 September 2021.
https://www.temporal-communities.de/media/news/DRHA-2021-Interactive-Conference-Booklet.pdf

Douny, L. Degumming West African Wild Silks in the 20th and 21st Century Burkina Faso. Talk at the »Animal Materialities«, joined panel of History of Science Society and Society for the History of Technology (SHOT), Animal Materialities. Virtual. 10 October 2020.
https://www.historyoftechnology.org/annual-meeting/2020-shot-virtual-forum-8-11-october/

Douny, L. Earth Structures: Containment and Scarcity in the Sahel. Talk at the »Material as Environmental Device«, Essential Material. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Virtual. 10 September 2020.

Events & Workshops

Bonavia, E., Farmer, J., Douny, L., Krauthausen, K., Sattler, F., Dierichs, K. Weaving with the Data Glove - From the Cocoon into the Computer and Back Again. Tieranatomisches Theater (Veterinary Anatomy Theater), Berlin. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Tieranatomisches Theater, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 16 February 2023.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/10084/weaving-with-the-data-glove-from-the-cocoon-into-the-computer-and-back-again

Douny, L., Krauthausen, K., Sattler, F. (organizers and moderators), Miodragovic, N., Samuel N., De Visscher, E., Winkler, C. (guests) Translating Material Practices. Tieranatomisches Theater Berlin. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 28 March 2023.

Douny, L., Ilboudo, M., Sawadogo, S., Fofana, S., Séré, A., Dayo, L. Daoula/West African wild silks: preparation of the Berlin/Ouagadougou exhibition. Musee de la Musique Georges Ouedraogo, Ouagadougou. Exhibition co-curated with Karin Krauthausen and Felix Sattler. 10 July 2022 - 21 July 2022.

Teaching & Courses

Dierichs, K., Bonavia, E., Douny, L., Eder, M., Farmer, J., Rosenthal, N., Stoll, M., Wenig, C. Minimal Machines 1 - Augmented Spinning. MoA Design Research Studio, weißensee school of art and design berlin. 6 April 2021 - 13 July 2021.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/posts/7360

Dierichs, K., Farmer, J., Bonavia, E., Mballa-Ekobena, A., Douny, L., Eder, M., Rosenthal, N., Stoll, M. Designing Matter 1 - From Filament to Fabric. MoA Design Research Studio, weißensee school of art and design berlin. 5 October 2020 - 26 March 2021.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/3454/designing-matter-1-from-filament-to-fabric

External Grants, Fellowships, Scholarships & Residencies

Douny, L. 2020. West African wild silks techniques: Preserving Marka-Dafing’s heritage of knowledge. Arcadia Fund - The British Museum Project funding.
https://www.emkp.org/west-african-wild-silks-techniques-preserving-marka-dafings-heritage-of-knowledge/

Editorial Works

Onaga, L., Douny, L. 2023. Editor for »Making Animal Materials in Time.« Special Journal Issue (Working Group Book). Historical Studies in the Natural Sciences.

Press Articles

Ingolf, P. 2023. »Gemeinsam spinnen. Von Afrikas Wissen für die Zukunft lernen.« About the exhibition »DAOULA | sheen« of Douny, L., Krauthausen K. and Sattler, F. Tagesspiegel, 19 January 2023.

Patz, I. 2023. »Gemeinsam spinnen. Von Afrikas Wissen für die Zukunft Lernen.« On the exhibition »DAOULA | sheen« curated by Douny, L., Krauthausen, K., Sattler, F. TAGESSPIEGEL, 19 January 2023.