Laila Riedmiller

Laila Riedmiller is a Research Assistant at the Chair of Political Theory and History of Ideas at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), where she also serves as Erasmus coordinator and mid-level representative in the Faculty Council. Based in Room 0.034 in Erlangen, she maintains regular consultation hours (Mondays 16:00-18:00 and Tuesdays 14:00-16:00) both in person and via Zoom, demonstrating her commitment to student engagement and accessibility.

Her academic background includes:

• Master's degree in Political Science from the University of Bonn (2019-2022), awarded the Gender Studies Prize
• Two concurrent Bachelor's degrees from the University of Bonn: Comparative Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Arabic (2016-2022), and Political Science and English Studies (2013-2019)
• Recipient of the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship (2019-2021)

Dr. Riedmiller's research focuses on the history and contemporary manifestations of right-wing thinking, including conservatism, the extreme right, and right-wing terrorism. She examines antisemitism and conspiracy theories through gendered lenses, analyzes concepts of temporality in political movements, critiques scientific epistemology, and explores democratic theories alongside feminist perspectives. Her work on religion and religious fundamentalism maintains a regional focus on the MENA region, connecting theoretical frameworks with empirical analysis of contemporary political phenomena. This interdisciplinary approach reveals how gender concepts function within extreme right conspiracy thinking and how right-wing movements conceptualize historical time.

Her scholarly output demonstrates consistent theoretical rigor with increasing institutional relevance. While her early work focused on specific manifestations of right-wing ideology (like Turkish ultranationalism in Germany), her recent publications examine structural aspects of academia itself - particularly the intersection of diversity management and internationalization strategies in higher education. This evolution shows her ability to connect micro-level analysis of political ideologies with macro-level institutional challenges, making significant contributions to both political theory and practical university policy development.

Her notable achievements include:

• Receiving the Gender Studies Prize from the University of Bonn
• Authoring a significant monograph on gender concepts in extreme right conspiracy thinking (Springer VS, 2023)
• Contributing to high-impact journals like the European Journal of Higher Education
• Presenting at major academic conferences including the DVPW Congress and European Association for the Study of Religions

As an educator, Dr. Riedmiller supervises doctoral projects on topics like the intellectual history of accelerationism and teaches a diverse range of courses at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg. Her teaching portfolio spans from undergraduate seminars on feminist political thought to advanced courses on memory culture and political thinking beyond the nation-state. Through regular workshops on antisemitism (including collaborations with the Jewish Museum Fürth) and panel discussions at venues like the Leipzig Book Fair, she actively bridges academic research with public education and social intervention.

Dr. Riedmiller maintains a dynamic scholarly presence through multiple channels, including traditional academic publications, conference presentations, media interviews, and social media engagement. Her TikTok presence (@notwithoutmybooks) with over 400 followers demonstrates her commitment to making political theory accessible beyond academic circles. This multi-platform approach reflects her belief in the public relevance of political theory and the importance of engaging diverse audiences in discussions about contemporary political challenges.