CERES is excited to introduce our new affiliated scholar, Dr. Ainur Begim!
Ainur “Aina” Begim is an affiliated scholar at the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies (CERES). She is an associate professor at the School of International Business at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Aina is a sociocultural anthropologist whose research and teaching interests include the anthropology of finance, sustainability, energy ethics and postsocialist transformations. Aina earned her PhD in anthropology from Yale University.
Please tell us a little about your background.
I am an economic anthropologist, and my research broadly focuses on energy ethics, pensions and sustainable finance. I first became interested in anthropology as an undergraduate student at Bates College, after taking a class with Professor Danny Danforth. After college, I worked in investment banking and witnessed firsthand the unraveling of Wall Street during the global financial crisis. That formative experience sparked my interest in the cultural, social and political dimensions of financial systems and practices, ultimately leading me to pursue doctoral studies in anthropology.
After completing my PhD at Yale, I spent a year at the Center for Russian and East European Studies and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. I later held a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Oslo. I am now teaching at the School of International Business at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
What will you be working on while at CERES this academic year?
During my time at CERES, I plan to focus on publications related to two ongoing research projects. My first project, based on my doctoral dissertation, examines how people in Kazakhstan plan, save and invest for retirement. My second project, situated in Norway, explores the intersection of ethics and finance, particularly the rise of sustainable finance.
Although these projects may seem distinct, there are many shared themes. Both explore financial forms and imaginations of the future and good life (and retirement) in oil-centered economies in the age of climate change.
I’m thrilled to be spending my sabbatical at CERES—not only for the opportunity to concentrate on my research and writing, but also to engage with the vibrant scholarly community at Georgetown and beyond, including practitioners working on issues closely aligned with my work.
What are you looking forward to in terms of being part of the Georgetown community?
I’m excited to be part of the Georgetown community—to share my work, learn from outstanding scholars across the university and engage with talented students. I look forward to conversations with fellow regional specialists, anthropologists, social scientists and scholars in business and law, who are working on topics such as energy futures, financial ethics and sustainability. I’m also eager to participate in interdisciplinary conferences and events at the University and to engage with practitioners visiting and teaching at Georgetown.