Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mateja Habinc

Born in 1973 in Brežice, Slovenia. BA in ethnology and cultural anthropology and journalism, defended her MA and PhD thesis at the Department of ethnology and cultural anthropology (OEiKA) FF UL. Between 1999 and 2006 a young researcher-assistant at the OEiKA, in the years 2006−2010 an assistant and later an assistant professor at the Faculty of Humanities Koper, and since 2008 also at the Faculty of tourist studies – Turistica, University of Primorska. Since 2010 employed at the OEiKA, first as an assistant, currently as the associated professor. Head of the chair for the Ethnology of Slovenia, until 2025 head of the departmental Alumni club, until 2024 the departmental representative in the Ethical commision of the Faculty of Arts.   

At the bachelor level lecturing obligatory courses Ethnology of Slovenia and Ethnology, rituals and habits and selective courses Social relations in Slovenia and Anthropology of modern Slovenia; also a coordinator of student's practical training.  At the MA level lecturing obligatory course Regions and regionalsms in Slovenia and a selective course Ethnology of the European postsocialist countries.

In the years 2009 and 2010 a researcher at the project Broadening of the encyclopaedia of natural and cultural heritage in Slovenia – DEDI II, between 2011 and 2014 a researcher at the research projects Holidays and the making of Slovene national community and Triglav national park: heritages, actors, strategies, questions and solutions. In 2016–2017 a head of the bilateral research project with BiH War as the turning point in the evaluation of past and contemporary experiences, in 2018-2020 researcher at the bilateral research project with USA Contemporary forms of post-socialist self-articulation: consumption, belief and housing.  Between 2021 and 2023 a researcher at the Erasmus + project CSI: CustomDigiTeach: Creating social impact through customized digital teaching formats, since 2024 researcher at the project Community-based models for the sustainable valorisation of cultural heritage crafts to enhance economic and tourism performance of remote areas of the Danube Region (COMMHERITOUR). A member of a departmental programme group. 

Member of a Slovene and several European professional associations. Between 1998-2003 managing editor of a Bulletin of SES, since 2003 member of several editorial boards of professional or scientific monographs and journals and a member of various programme committees of professional conferences.

Member of the interdisciplinary project team, which received the recognition of the Slovenian Science Foundation for special achievements in science communication for the year 2022 for the project Agon(ija) epidemije / Agon(y) of the epidemic.