Dr. Braun is a socio-cultural anthropologist specializing on North America. Prior to his Ph.D. at Indiana University, he earned a lic.phil.I (M.A.) in Ethnology, modern History, and Philosophy from the Universitaet Basel in Switzerland. His interests include sustainable economic development, ecology, intercultural relations, and language. In North America, Dr. Braun has done research on Adena, Hopewell, and Mississippian societies, pre-and protohistoric interethnic relationships in Alaska and the Yukon, and most recently on contemporary tribal bison ranching and human-animal relations on the Great Plains. His interests outside North America include Oceania, Europe, and early states in Latin America, as well as globalization and colonialism. He is currently exploring a new project on indigenous nationalism.

Aside from introductory courses, Dr. Braun has been teaching courses on cultural ecology, resource management, health, sustainable development, identity, trade, traditional and contemporary Plains Indian cultures, and the history of the Lakota and Dakota nations.