Dr. April Lucille Reber

Academic Appointments

2025 - Ongoing | Postdoctoral Fellow, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany

2022-2025 | Visiting Assistant Professor, Anthropology, Brigham Young University

2023–2025 | Fulbright Specialist, Fulbright Specialist Program

2018-2022 | Institute of Saxon History and Culture, Dresden Germany (Visiting) 

Education

PhD Anthropology 2022 University of California, Santa Cruz, Anthropology. Dissertation: “The ‘Extremist’ Next Door: Normalcy and Democratic Legitimacy in Germany.” (Chair: Professor Melissa L. Caldwell)

MA Anthropology 2018 University of California, Santa Cruz, Anthropology

BA Anthropology 2013 Brigham Young University. BA Thesis: “Agentive Hmong Memory Making: ‘We stood up to them.’” 

Languages

English: Native fluency

German: Fluency in speaking, writing, reading, and listening (C1); conducted interviews, participant observation, digital ethnography

Dutch: Fluency in speaking, writing, reading, and listening

Political anthropology

Digital ethnography  

Extremism and democracy

Anthropology of Europe/EU

Transnational radical coalitions

Performance and radical politics

External Funding

2022. Society for the Anthropology of Europe Graduate Student Paper Competition, Finalist. “When Middle-Class Talk Goes Underground: Conspiracy Talk, Authoritarian Spectres, and Speech Rights”

2019. Fulbright Fellowship ($10,800 stipend + tuition and fees)

2018. National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Fellow (NSF GRFP) ($102,000 stipend + tuition and fees)

2018. German Academic Exchange Service (Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst – DAAD), Research Grant. $7200.

Internal Funding

2025. Research Grant. Family, Home, and Social Sciences Award, Brigham Young University. $5000

2025. Shallit/Rust Fellowship, Anthropology Department, Brigham Young University. $8000.

2024. Shallit/Rust Fellowship, Anthropology Department, Brigham Young University. $8000.

2023. Andrus Fellowship, Brigham Young University. $5000.

2023. Shallit/Rust Fellowship, Anthropology Department, Brigham Young University. $8000.

2023. Family, Home, and Social Sciences Award for pilot study with a team of five researchers. $24,075.

2018. Summer Internship Program, UC Santa Cruz.

2017. Anthropology Department Summer Research Award, UC Santa Cruz. $2000.

Book

Reber, April. 2026. Testing Democracy: How Alternative for Germany Crafted a Democratic Identity. Routledge. 

Peer-Reviewed Articles (Published)

Reber, April. 2025. "Alternative for Germany: Reconfiguring German Democracy.” German Politics and Society. Issue 147. Vol. 43. No. 3. 1-20.

Reber, April. 2025. “Eastern German tropes and democracy.” ISGV Jahrbuch. Institut für Sächsische Geschichte und Volkskunde.

Reber, April L. 2021. “Corporeal politics, pandemics, and affluent democracy.” ISGV Jahrbuch. Institut für Sächsische Geschichte und Volkskunde.

Peer-Reviewed Articles (Under Review or in Preparation)

Reber, April L. “Basic Democracy, Prefigurative Politics, and Alternative for Germany.” (accepted, chapter in an edited book volume).

Student Publications Mentored

Gabbie Jarvis. 2024. “The Hmong Language as a Connection Between Past and Present in Rural Thailand.” Journal of Undergraduate Ethnography.

Burnham, Hannah. 2025. “Garages: Storing the American Dream.” (ISGV Jahrbuch. Institut für Sächsische Geschichte und Volkskunde).

Book Review

Reber, April L. 2021. Book Review. Smarte Spalter: Die AfD zwischen Bewegung und Parlament. “Neues Archiv für sächsische Geschichte.” 92. Band.

Reber, April L. 2014. “Labor and identity activism: Reviewing Tran’s Ties that Bind.” Student Anthropologist.

Academic Online Forums

Reber, April L. 2023. Page 99 Test: The Extremist Next Door: Normalcy and Democratic Legitimacy in Germany. Communication, Media, Performance Anthropology. https://campanthropology.org/2023/08/.

Reber, April. 2020. “The sound of silence: Watching anti-COVID regulation ‘walks.’” Fundstück aus dem ISGV. https://www.isgv.de/aktuelles/details/fundstueck-aus-dem-isgv-im-juli-2020. 

Conference Talks

2026. Campaigning Prefiguration: Alternative for Germany and Basic Democracy. Council for European Studies. 16-18 June. Dublin. Panelist.

2025. Humor and Alternative for Germany: Creating a “normal” Germany. Council for European Studies. 25-27 June. Philadelphia. Panelist.

2024. “Ideologies Of Normal And Radical: A German Case Study.” Council for European Studies. 3-5 July. Lyon. Panelist.

2023. “The need to be normal, or Don’t be a Nazi.” Council for European Studies. 27-29 June. Reykjavik. Panelist.

2023. “Alternative for Germany efforts to reframe colonial spaces and histories.” Institute of the Advanced Study and The Democracy Institute. Budapest. 19-21 April. Panelist.

2023. “Messaging Normalcy.” 1st Conference on European Polarisation.” MediaLab, Sciences Po, Paris. 15 February. Panelist.

2021. “‘Bei uns in der DDR’: Post-GDR generations laying claim to the GDR.” Childhood Memories of Cold War Times and Beyond Conference. Oct. 20 – 22. Panelist.

2019. “A second socialism? Examining rightist critique of the GDR in contemporary politics.” Ambiguities of Transformation Conference. Institute for Saxon History and Anthropology, Nov. 10 – 12. Panelist.

2017. “Wir sind das Volk" (We are the people): Imagining ethnonationalist citizenship.” American Anthropology Association Annual Meeting, Nov. 29-Dec 3. Panelist.

2017. “The political microcosm of demonstrations and Germany’s emerging rightist movements.” UC Santa Cruz Graduate Research Symposium, May 12. Panelist.

2015. “The Holocaust cases: Re-absolving the past in preparation for the future.” American Anthropology Association Annual Meeting, Nov. 18-22. Moderator.

2014. “We Stood Up to Them: A Narrative Reimagining of the Ethnic Landscape.” American Anthropology Association Annual Meeting, Dec. 2-7. Panelist.

2013. “Contradicting Assumptions: Hmong making agentive memories.” American Anthropology Association Annual Meeting, Nov. 20-24. Panelist.

2013. “Re-negotiating positioning in Thai society: “Yes, we did stand up to them for taking down our trees.” Senior Symposium, Brigham Young University, Nov. 8. Panelist.

2013. “Money can be used up but then justice and rights can last forever.” “Hmong Across Borders” Conference at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, October 5. Panelist.

2013. “Hmong activism and Thai citizenship.” Chiang Mai Conference, Chiang Mai University, July 8-9. Panelist. 

COLLOQUIA

2026. „Demokratie auf dem Prüfstand: Wie die AfD ein 'demokratisches Image' formte.” Philipps- University, Marburg.

2025. “Saying the Unsayable.” Navigating Speech Rights and Cancel Culture in Germany.” Brigham Young University.

2024. “Humor and Alternative for Germany: Creating a “normal” Germany. University of Amsterdam. Humor Workshop.

2023. “Hearing National Identity among Alternative for Germany Members.” Brigham Young University Anthropology Seminar.

2022. “The Limits of Dialogue.” Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology. Halle Saale, Germany.

2021. “Navigating race in Alternative for Germany.” Ethnographic Engagements, UC Santa Cruz.

2018. “Democratic Construction and Radical Movements.” Institut für Sächsische Geschichte und Volkskunde, Dresden Germany.

Mentored Field Schools And Study Abroad Programs

2023 | France Research Internship, France

Brigham Young University 

4 students conducting ethnographic research 

2023 | Provo Field School, USA

Brigham Young University 

 3 students conducting ethnographic research 

2022 | Berlin Study Abroad, Germany

University of California, Santa Cruz

10 students in courses 

Students Mentored

2024. R. B., Research Assistant, Book Manuscript, Don’t Be A Nazi: Democracy, Extremism, and Alternative for Germany.

2024. E. H., Research Assistant, Book Manuscript, Don’t Be A Nazi: Democracy, Extremism, and Alternative for Germany.

2023. E. M., Honor’s Thesis Committee, Reader

2023. D. G., Research Assistant, “(Dis)possession” project.

G=Graduate Course; UG=Undergraduate Course; N=New Course

Philipps University Marburg

Anthropology and Extremism, UG, N, taught 1x (in German)

Anti-hegemonial Theory, UG, taught 1x (in German)

Cultural Studies and the U.S., UG, taught 1x

Transforming Archives und Wissenskommunikation, UG, taught 1x (in German)

Brigham Young University 

Anthr 101, Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, UG, Large UG GE course, taught 7x

Anthr 202, Contemporary Theory, UG, taught 1x

Anthr 309, Anthropology of Europe, UG, N, taught 1x

Anthr 432, Political and Economic Institutions, UG, taught 1x

Anthr 442, Ethnographic Research Design, UG, taught 1x

Anthr 495, Ethnographic Field Study, UG, taught 1x

Anthr 499, Senior Thesis, UG, taught 1x

Anthr 503, Contemporary Graduate Theory. GC, taught 1x

UC Santa Cruz

Anthr 2, Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, UG (Large UG GE course, taught 1x)

Anthr 130S, Ethnography of Russia and Eastern Europe, UG, taught 1x

Anthr 138, Political and Legal Anthropology, UG, taught 1x

Public Engagement

2023. “Tee, Kuchen und Verschwörungsgespräche: Redefreiheit und Radikalität in Zeiten von Corona” Dresden, Saxony, Germany.

2023. “Tee, Kuchen und Verschwörungsgespräche: Redefreiheit und Radikalität in Zeiten von Corona.” Zittau, Saxony, Germany.

2022. “Tee, Kuchen und Verschwörungsgespräche: Redefreiheit und Radikalität in Zeiten von Corona.” Freiberg, Saxony, Germany.

2022. “Tee, Kuchen und Verschwörungsgespräche: Redefreiheit und Radikalität in Zeiten von Corona.” Brand Erbisdorf, Saxony, Germany.

2022. “War in Ukraine: Background, Context, Prospects and Implications.” University of California, Santa Cruz.

Academic Service

2022-2024 Professionalization Series, Anthropology Dept., Brigham Young University

2022-2024 Writing Workshop Facilitator, Anthropology Dept., Brigham Young University

2022-2023 Network Editor at H-Folk (part of H-Net Network), https://networks.h-net.org/h-folk

2021-2022 Graduate Facilitator (Executive Committee Role), University of California, Santa Cruz

2021-2022 Graduate Student Research Coordinator, University of California, Santa Cruz

American Anthropological Association

Association of Political and Legal Anthropology