CV

Christine Katsuko Oster, Ph.D.
Curriculum Vitae

Email: krisoster@gmail.com

Academic Degrees and Credentials
September 2006 – 2010
. PH.D., Mythological Studies, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Carpinteria, California.


Major: Mythological Studies with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology
Dissertation Title: Mothers, Female Tricksters and Heroines: A Mythological Portrait of Feminine Dynamism in Brazilian Candomblé and the Women Drummers Movement.

September 2002 – August 2004. 
M.A., Mythological Studies, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Carpinteria, California.

Major: Mythological Studies with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology

September 1986 – June 1992
. B.A., Music, California State University, Northridge, California.

Major: Percussion Performance
Minor: Cultural Anthropology

Research Areas of Specialization
Comparative Religion & Mythology:
 Africa and the African Diaspora, Greek, Celtic; Women’s Studies; Myth and Technology; Myth and Popular Culture.

Publications
January 2011. “Alchemical Axé: Hieros Gamos in Brazilian Candomblé Rites.” Mythopoetry Scholar: Matter and Beauty, Ed. Stephanie Pope. http://www.mythopoetry.com/mythopoetics/scholar11_katsuko_oster_candomblé.html
May 2006. “Serpents & Angels.” between: Angels and Messengers. Pacifica Graduate Institute Literary Review.
May 2004. “Enchantment in the Woods.” between: Re-membering Gaia in Memory, Moment & Work. Pacifica Graduate Institute Literary Review. Eds. Scott M. Potter and Kris Seraphine (Oster).

Invited Lectures
April – May 2006 and June – July 2007
. Pacifica Graduate Institute, Carpinteria, California. Invited by Laura Grillo, Ph.D., Core Faculty, Pacifica Graduate Institute.

2-hour lecture entitled, “The Mythology in Fieldwork: Conducting Fieldwork in Mythological Studies
.” Based on my dissertation field research in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, 2006.

Conferences

Aug. 31-Sept 2, 2012: The Symposium for the Study of Myth. Hosted by Pacifica Graduate Institute, The Joseph Campbell Foundation and Opus Archives. Co-Presenter: Lisa Beck.
Presentation Title: “Forging Alternate Spaces for Creative Expression, Myth Study and Dialogue: Engaging Mind and Body Through Drumming, Movement and Writing.”

March 23-26, 2011 ACASA Triennial, Los Angeles, CA
. Africa and Its Diasporas in the Market Place: Cultural Resources and the Global Economy

Presentation Title: “The Heartbeat of the Mother: Drumming and Gender in Africa and the diaspora.”

November 7-10, 2009, AAR Annual Meeting, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. International Focus: Globalization of Religion in North America

Presentation Title: “Oxum and Yansan: Candomblé Trickster Archetypal Models for Female Drummers.”

Professional Experience
December 2009 – present

Independent Lecturer, Online Classes and Workshops


Topics: Personal Mythology, Comparative Mythology, Archetypal Psychology, Women’s Spirituality, Esoteric Religions and Ritual Practices.

August 2004 – August 2005
Co-Editor of between, Pacifica Graduate Institute’s Literary Review.

February 1999 – present

Web Developer / Global Online and Email Marketing Specialist.

Clients Past & Present: Citrix Online, Laundry by Shelli Segal, Perry Ellis, E! Entertainment Online, ABC Networks, Disney Interactive, Paramount Interactive, Chocolate Maya, Dennis P. Slattery.

Professional Affiliations
The Association for the Study of Women and Mythology (ASWM)
Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Western Region Coordinator
American Academy of Religion (AAR)

Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM)

Arts Council of the African Studies Association (ACASA)

Awards
Scholarships awarded by Pacifica Graduate Institute, Academic Years 2003-2004, 2004-2005.

Foreign Languages
Spanish (competent, reading and writing)

Brazilian Portuguese (competent, reading and writing)

References available upon request.