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CRCAO member - Mongolian studies Team

Grégory Delaplace

Professor, École Pratique des Hautes Études

Presentation

My research in anthropology is rooted in a long-standing ethnographic work in far North-western Mongolia (Uvs province), with a community of nomadic herders recently settled in the city. Drawing on a description of their funerary uses and a collection of stories recounting the unexpected manifestation of lonely ghosts, I have undertaken to lay the groundwork of an anthropology of the invisible; this led me to a comparative exploration of situations when dead people overflow the existential framework imposed on them by the living. While I pursued this comparative effort through European casework, I kept recording instances of Mongolian ritual life. I thus became interested in weddings, and how they provided platforms for social critique, as conceptions of love and consent are being thoroughly redefined in the country’s rural regions.

My teaching and research led me to nurture more general theoretical interests, on the ethnographic uses of photography for example, on the conditions of comparison in social and cultural anthropology, or on the history of the discipline. Thus, I have been looking into the parallel emergence of anthropology, psychology, and psychical research in British and French university cities, at the turn of the 20th century, around such topics as magic and action at a distance. Since 2021, I am a professor of the “Anthropology of religions” at the École Pratique des Hautes Études (Division of the religious sciences).

Within the CRCAO, I am a coordinator for the following programmes: “Cities, mobility, and the environment in Inner Asia” (with Aurore Dumont and Charlotte Marchina) and “Anthropologies” (with Gaëlle Lacaze).

Research thematics

  • Anthropology of the invisible. Comparative reflection on human relations with beings and things that escape the ordinary regime of perception
  • Anthropology of death. Comparative reflection on funerary apparatuses and relationship to the dead
  • Public ceremonies and social critique in Mongolia. Ethnography of Dörvöd people’s daily ritual life in the Northwestern Uvs province

CRCAO research programmes

Teachings

  • Anthropology of religions (research seminar EPHE)
  • Religions in anthropology (doctoral workshop)

Publications (HAL Archive Ouverte)

  • Grégory Delaplace. Retour sur le retour des morts. Annuaire de l’École pratique des hautes études : résumés des conférences et travaux. Section des sciences religieuses, 2025, 132, pp.49-56. ⟨10.4000/14mf7⟩. ⟨hal-05427576⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Anthropologie de l’invisible. Annuaire de l’École pratique des hautes études : résumés des conférences et travaux. Section des sciences religieuses, 2024, 131, pp.33-40. ⟨10.4000/122wn⟩. ⟨hal-05427577⟩

  • Delaplace Grégory. A Concern for the Invisible: Dwelling with Sensitive Horses and Vanishing Graves in Mongolia. Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics, 2023, 17 (1), pp.133-155. ⟨10.2478/jef-2023-0010⟩. ⟨hal-05427591⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. L’essence de l’alliance religieuse. Ateliers d'anthropologie, 2023, 131, pp.33-40. ⟨10.4000/ateliers.17971⟩. ⟨hal-05427575⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Introduction. L'invisible tel qu'il apparaît. Ateliers d'anthropologie, 2022, Anthropologie de l'invisible, 52, ⟨10.4000/ateliers.16779⟩. ⟨hal-04438094⟩

  • Delaplace Grégory, P. Chuluunbat. When the Picture Comes in: How to Win Mongolian Wrestling Tournaments. Inner Asia, 2022, 24 (1), pp.103-130. ⟨10.1163/22105018-02302019⟩. ⟨hal-05427593⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Book review: Lars Højer, The Anti-Social Contract: Injurious Talk and Dangerous Exchange in Northern Mongolia (New York, Berghahn, 2019). Inner Asia, 2021, 23 (2), pp.351-354. ⟨10.1163/22105018-12340178⟩. ⟨hal-04464913⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace, Zoé Blondeau. Plus que des cadavres, moins que des fantômes. Ateliers d'anthropologie, 2021, Varia, ⟨10.4000/ateliers.15730⟩. ⟨hal-04464839⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace, Caroline Humphrey. Introduction: Effective Slownesses. Distance and speed in traveling and dwelling throughout Inner Asia. Inner Asia, 2020, 22 (1), pp.1-5. ⟨10.1163/22105018-12340132⟩. ⟨hal-04464824⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. The Ruler, the Wrestler, and the Archer. Inner Asia, 2019, 21 (2), pp.180-198. ⟨10.1163/22105018-12340125⟩. ⟨hal-04464828⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. More than Corpses, Less than Ghosts: A Visual Theory of Culture in Early Ethnographic Photography. Visual Anthropology Review, 2019, 35 (1), pp.37-49. ⟨10.1111/var.12177⟩. ⟨hal-04464832⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace, Dominic Horsefall. Ghosts Happen. Terrain : anthropologie et sciences humaines [Anciennement : Carnets du patrimoine ethnologique ; Revue d'ethnologie de l'Europe], 2018, 69, ⟨10.4000/terrain.16789⟩. ⟨hal-04464846⟩

  • G. Munkherdene, David Sneath, Grégory Delaplace. Comment on: Enclosing the Gold-Mining Commons of Mongolia: The Vanishing Ninja and the Development Project as Resource. Current Anthropology, 2018, 59 (6), pp.825-826. ⟨10.1086/700961⟩. ⟨hal-04465012⟩

  • Sarah Carton de Grammont, Delaplace Grégory, Pierre-Olivier Dittmar, Sophie Houdart, Christine Jungen, et al.. Décapsuler. Gradhiva : revue d'histoire et d'archives de l'anthropologie , 2018, 28, pp.170-193. ⟨10.4000/gradhiva.3815⟩. ⟨hal-04290717⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Les fantômes sont des choses qui arrivent. Terrain : anthropologie et sciences humaines [Anciennement : Carnets du patrimoine ethnologique ; Revue d'ethnologie de l'Europe], 2018, 69, pp.4-23. ⟨10.4000/terrain.16608⟩. ⟨hal-04464841⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Retoucher les morts: Les usages magiques de la photographie en Mongolie. Terrain : anthropologie et sciences humaines [Anciennement : Carnets du patrimoine ethnologique ; Revue d'ethnologie de l'Europe], 2014, 62, ⟨10.4000/terrain.15390⟩. ⟨hal-01609860⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Establishing Mutual Misunderstanding: A Buryat Shamanic Ritual in Ulaanbaatar: Establishing Mutual Misunderstanding. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 2014, 20 (4), pp.617--634. ⟨10.1111/1467-9655.12126⟩. ⟨hal-01609861⟩

  • Caroline Humphrey, Grégory Delaplace. Qu'y a-t-il de nouveau dans le néo-chamanisme ? Assemblages et identités flottantes à Ulaanbaatar. Études mongoles et sibériennes, centrasiatiques et tibétaines, 2013, D'une anthropologie du chamanisme vers une anthropologie du croire. Hommage \`a l'\oeuvre de Roberte Hamayon (Hors s'erie), pp.87--107. ⟨hal-01609864⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Parasitic Chinese, Vengeful Russians: Ghosts, Strangers, and Reciprocity in Mongolia. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 2012, 18 (1), pp.131--144. ⟨10.1111/j.1467-9655.2012.01768.x⟩. ⟨hal-01609867⟩

  • François Berthomé, Julien Bonhomme, Grégory Delaplace. Cultivating Uncertainty. Journal of Ethnographic Theory - HAU, 2012, vol. 2 (n°2 (Cultivating Uncertainty: Ethnographies of opaque sociality)), p.129-137. ⟨halshs-00801578⟩

  • Delaplace Grégory. Chinese Ghosts in Mongolia. Inner Asia, 2010, 12 (1), pp.127-141. ⟨10.1163/146481710792710282⟩. ⟨hal-05427612⟩

  • Delaplace Grégory. A Sheep Herder's Rage: Silence and Grief in Contemporary Mongolia. Ethnos, 2009, 74 (4), pp.514-534. ⟨10.1080/00141840903276367⟩. ⟨hal-05427611⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace, Rebecca Empson. The Little Human and The Daughter-in-law: Invisibles as Seen Through the Eyes of Different Kinds of People. Inner Asia, 2007, 9 (2), pp.197-214. ⟨10.1163/146481707793646476⟩. ⟨hal-05427608⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Les crapauds, les tortues et les canards. Sur la pratique du fengshui à Oulan-Bator. Études mongoles et sibériennes, centrasiatiques et tibétaines, 2005, 36 (1), pp.187-205. ⟨10.3406/emong.2005.1165⟩. ⟨hal-05427606⟩

  • Delaplace Grégory. La voix des fantômes. Éditions du Seuil, 2024, La couleur des idées, 9782021592665. ⟨hal-05427585⟩

  • Delaplace Grégory, Salvatore d'Onofrio (Dir.). Philippe Descola. Éditions de l'Herne, 2024, Cahiers de l'Herne, 9791031904351. ⟨hal-05427589⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Les intelligences particulières. Vues de l'esprit, 256 p., 2021, 9782931146019. ⟨hal-04464854⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace, Frederique Valentin. Le funéraire: mémoire, protocoles, monuments. Delaplace, Grégory and Valentin, Frédérique. De Boccard, 2015, 978-2-7018-0434-7. ⟨hal-01609856⟩

  • Franck Billé, Grégory Delaplace, Caroline Humphrey. Frontier Encounters: Knowledge and Practice at the Russian, Chinese and Mongolian Border. Billé, Franck and Delaplace, Grégory and Humphrey, Caroline. Open Book Publishers, 2013, 978-1-906924-87-4. ⟨hal-01609863⟩

  • Isabelle Charleux, Roberte N. Hamayon, Delaplace Grégory, Pearce Scott (Dir.). Representing Power in Modern Inner Asia. Western Washington University, 357 p., 2010. ⟨halshs-00702138⟩

  • Isabelle Charleux, Roberte N. Hamayon, Delaplace Grégory, Pearce Scott. Representing Power in Ancient Inner Asia. Charleux Isabelle, Hamayon Roberte, Delaplace Grégory, Pearce Scott,. Western Washington University, pp.430, 2010. ⟨halshs-00702136⟩

  • Delaplace Grégory. L'invention des morts. Sépultures, fantômes et photographie en Mongolie. EPHE; SEMS. , 2009, Nord Asie, 978-2-9518888-4-6. ⟨hal-05427624⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Enchanting democracy: Facing the past in Mongolian shamanic rituals. Graham Harvey; Michael Houseman; Sarah M. Pike; Jone Salomonsen. Reassembling Democracy, Bloomsbury Academic, pp.53-68, 2021, 9781350123014. ⟨10.5040/9781350123045.ch-003⟩. ⟨hal-04464873⟩

  • Delaplace Grégory. Chasseurs, chevaux et fantômes en Mongolie. Persona, étrangement humain, Actes Sud, pp.111--113, 2016, 978-2-330-03801-4. ⟨hal-01609854⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Incertitudes morales, régimes de visibilité et vitesse de circulation des morts. Delaplace, Grégory and Valentin, Frédérique. Le funéraire: mémoire, protocoles, monuments, De Boccard, pp.11--23, 2015, 978-2-7018-0434-7. ⟨hal-01609855⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. What the Invisible Looks Like. Ghosts, Perceptual Faith and Mongolian Regimes of Communication. Blanes, Ruy Llera and Espirito Santo, Diana. The Social Life of Spirits, The University of Chicago Press, pp.52--68, 2014, 978-0-226-08163-2 978-0-226-08177-9. ⟨hal-01609859⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. An Open Air Treasure in Mongolia. A Short History of the Uranium Mining Town of Mardai (paru en japonais: "Mongoru no `arawa naru takara'. Urankôzan toshi marudai ni tsuitei no oboegaki"). Tanase, Jiro and Shimamura, Ippei. Sôgen to kôseki. Mongoru, Chibetto ni okeru shigenkaihatsu to kankyômondai (Steppe and Mine. Natural Resource Development and Environmental Problems in Mongolia and Tibet), Akashi Shoten, pp.39--52, 2014. ⟨hal-01609857⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. The Ethics and Esthetics of Mongolian Hip-hop (paru en japonais: "Hippu hoppu jijô. Kashi ni hyôgen sareta rinri to bigaku"). Konagaya, Yuki and Maekawa, Ai. Gendai Mongoru o shiru tame no 50 shô (Understanding Mongolia in 50 Chapters), Akashi Shoten, pp.296--303, 2014. ⟨hal-01609858⟩

  • Delaplace Grégory. Habiter le pays sans vivre nulle part. Stépanoff, Charles and Ferret, Carole and Lacaze, Gaëlle and Thorez, Julien. Nomadismes d'Asie centrale et septentrionale, Armand Colin, pp.101--103, 2013, 978-2-200-27537-2. ⟨hal-01609862⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. Neighbours and Their Ruins: Remembering Foreign Presences in Mongolia. Billé, Franck and Delaplace, Grégory and Humphrey, Caroline. Frontier Encounters: Knowledge and Practice at the Russian, Chinese and Mongolian Border, Open Book Publishers, pp.211--233, 2012, 978-1-906924-87-4. ⟨10.11647/OBP.0026.12⟩. ⟨hal-01609865⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace. A Slightly Complicated Door: The Ethnography and Conceptualisation of North Asian Borders. Billé, Franck and Delaplace, Grégory and Humphrey, Caroline. Frontier Encounters: Knowledge and Practice at the Russian, Chinese and Mongolian Border, Open Book Publishers, pp.1--17, 2012, 978-1-906924-87-4. ⟨10.11647/OBP.0026.01⟩. ⟨hal-01609866⟩

  • Isabelle Charleux, Grégory Delaplace, Roberte N. Hamayon. Introduction. Charleux, Isabelle, Roberte Hamayon & Grégory Delaplace. Representing Power in Ancient Inner Asia : Legitimacy, transmission and the sacred, Western Washington University, pp.1-35, 2010. ⟨halshs-00702132⟩

  • Grégory Delaplace, Christos Lynteris. Neglecting the Dead in Times of Epidemics. 2020. ⟨hal-04464947⟩

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