Dr. Natascha Bregy

• Mobility, migration and transnationalism
• Social categorisation, belonging and boundary-making
• Memory, temporality and affect
• Regional focus: Europe and East Asia
• Science communication and participatory research approaches

Bregy Natascha (2026): Geographische Nähe – Kulturelle Differenz Eine ethnographische Studie zur Migration zwischen Deutschland und der Schweiz [Geographical Proximity – Cultural Difference: An ethnographic study of migration between Germany and Switzerland]. Bielefeld: Transcript. https://www.transcript-verlag.de/978-3-8376-8081-2/geographische-naehe-kulturelle-differenz/?c=311000011 

Bregy, Natascha (2025). Is citizenship worth it? Naturalisation attitudes among Swiss migrants to Germany and German migrants to Switzerland. Citizenship Studies 28 (7), 709-727. https://doi.org/10.1080/13621025.2024.2446216

Bregy, Natascha (2024). Neighbours in knowledge? German and Swiss migrants' efforts to reconcile children's well-being and educational success. In: Jonas Scharfenberg, Julia Hufnagl, Mara Spiekenheuer and Amani Kroner (eds): Migration und Bildung in der globalisierten Welt. Perspektiven, Herausforderungen und Chancen in der Migrationsgesellschaft (Gemeinsam Schule gestalten, 5).

Bregy, Natascha (2020). Migration between Switzerland and Germany: A comparative study of migration between two culturally and geographically close countries. In: boasblog: Fieldwork meets crisis. Available at: https://boasblogs.org/de/fieldworkmeetscrisis/migration-between-switzerland-and-germany/ 

Bregy, N. (2016). Homeless in Hamburg: Revisiting the uses of space in the city centre. Ethnoscripts, 18 (1): S. 74-96.

Presentations:

Staying put by Staying mobile: Mobility as the Condition for Long-term Immobility. EASA 2026, Poznań.

Narratives of Escape? Lifestyle Migration between Switzerland and Germany. The Getaway Conference, 11.10.2024, Rīga Stradiņš University.

Navigating Relationality: narratives of proximity and distinction among German and Swiss migrants in the respective neighbouring country. EASA 2024, 24.07.2024, Barcelona.

„Ich kann mich nachher ins Auto setzen und bin tot“ – Wie privilegierte Migrant*innen mit einer unsicheren Zukunft umgehen. [“I can get into the car later and die” – how privileged migrants deal with an uncertain future]. Anthropological Colloquium, 24.10.2023, Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Hamburg.

Ethische und interpersonelle Probleme von Onlineforschung [Ethical and interpersonal problems of online research]. Conference of the German Anthropological Association (GAA), 29.09.2021, Bremen (online).

Workshops:

Migration Schweiz – Deutschland [Migration Switzerland – Germany]. Workshop and presentation, Conference of the Organisation of the Swiss abroad (OSA) Germany, 31.05.2025, Kassel.

Migration zwischen der Schweiz und Deutschland [Migration between Switzerland and Germany]. Interactive workshop in cooperation with the Swiss Association Schleswig-Holstein, 18.01.2025, Schleswig.

Swiss in Germany, Germans in Switzerland. Interactive workshop in cooperation with the Swiss Association Helvetia Hamburg, 08.10.2023, Cultural centre Brakula, Hamburg

Science Slams:

Willkommen, aber bitte anders! Wie Distinktion und Stereotype die Migration zwischen Deutschland und der Schweiz prägen [Welcome, but please be different! How distinction and stereotypes characterise migration between Germany and Switzerland]. Science Slam of the Federal Agency for Civic Education in the context of the Leipzig Book Fair, 29.03.2025, Kinobar Prager Frühling, Leipzig.

Wie Schweizer auf Deutsche blicken: Migration zwischen Bern und Berlin [How the Swiss view the Germans: Migration between Bern and Berlin]. Science Slam, 11.02.2025, Uebel & Gefährlich, Hamburg. https://youtu.be/4NLe1Tqu6EM?si=-wU8rs_2KHZxkJZo.

Zwischen Nähe und Differenz: hochqualifizierte Migration zwischen der Schweiz und Deutschland [Between proximity and difference: highly skilled migration between Switzerland and Germany]. Science Slam organised by the Centre Marc Bloch, 07.11.2024, Centre Français de Berlin.

01/2026 – 05/2027 Postdoctoral researcher in the project “Images of Russia: a comparative qualitative study in Poland and Germany”

02/2026 – 03/2026 Research visit at the Center for Northeast Asian Studies (CNEAS), Tōhoku University, Japan

06/2019 – 09/2024 PhD, University of Hamburg
Funded by the Foundation of the German Economy [SDW] the FAZIT-Foundation and the UHH Equal Opportunity Fund

Topic: My dissertation examines the migration experiences of Germans in Switzerland and Swiss in Germany, tracing how seemingly minor socio-cultural differences and national discourses shape five key dimensions of migrant life: the decision to migrate, perceptions of home and host country, everyday life, belonging, and future plans.

06/2022 – 09/2022 Research visit at the Center for Northeast Asian Studies (CNEAS), Tōhoku University, Japan

03/2018 – 03/2019 Research Associate: project 'Transnational Palestinian Families' by the German Research Foundation (DFG), University of Hamburg

10/2014 – 02/2018 Master of Arts: Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Hamburg

Thesis: Soundtrack of life: biographical representations of the association of music and memories, based on field research in Helsinki, Finland

10/2015 – 07/2016 Tutor for the lecture 'Anthropology of Religion' and seminar 'Qualitative Methods'

10/2010 – 08/2014 International Bachelor East Asia: Japan (Minor: Social and Cultural Anthropology), University of Hamburg and Hiroshima University