Ulrike Rosa Bracker

Ulrike Rosa Bracker serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Social Work at the Faculty of Economics and Social Affairs, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg), where she has been employed since July 2020. Her academic career includes previous research positions at the University of Hamburg's Department of Adult Education and Lifelong Learning, where she contributed to the DFG research project 'Biographicality and Contextuality of Adult Learning' and established research networks.

Bracker earned her Diploma in Educational Science, Social Pedagogy from the University of Hamburg in 2007. Her professional journey includes significant roles in youth education and organizational leadership, having served as Youth Education Officer and later in financial and administrative roles at SJD – Die Falken Hamburg, and as Managing Director at FLAKS eV.

Her research interests span multiple dimensions of social work and education, with particular emphasis on democracy and political education within youth association contexts. Bracker critically examines how democratic participation intersects with labor market orientation in youth social work, as evidenced by her 2023 publication analyzing this tension. Her work consistently engages with critical educational and social theory, exploring how biographical experiences shape learning processes and how precarious employment conditions affect educational opportunities.

Analysis of Bracker's publication record from 2007-2023 reveals a consistent scholarly trajectory centered on the intersection of social work, political education, and democratic participation. Her recent work (2020-2023) demonstrates increased focus on contemporary challenges to democracy education, including the impact of the Corona pandemic on political engagement opportunities for youth. Earlier publications (2011-2015) established her theoretical foundation in biographical learning, precarious employment, and the structural conditions affecting educational opportunities.

Bracker has been actively involved in significant research projects, most notably the 'Community Matters!' initiative. Her work has been supported through institutional affiliations including the German Research Foundation (DFG) for the 'Biographicality and Contextuality of Adult Learning' project. She collaborates extensively with colleagues across disciplinary boundaries, as evidenced by her numerous co-authored publications with researchers from diverse institutional backgrounds.

Within the Department of Social Work at HAW Hamburg, Bracker contributes to teaching in specialized areas including the history of social work, social work policy, gender studies, and community work. Her practical experience in youth association work and adult education informs her pedagogical approach, creating valuable bridges between theoretical frameworks and practical social work contexts.