Ursula Rao is lecturer in Anthropology at the University Halle, Germany. She is co-editor of the book; Im Rausch des Rituals. Gestaltung und Transformation der Wirklichkeit in Körperlicher Performanz (2000, Lit). Her areas of interests are: ritual studies, the relationship bween religion and politics and the anthropology of cultural performances. Most recently she has started a study on the production of news through journalistic practices, with field research located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.