Prof. Paula-Irene Villa Braslavsky holds the Chair of Sociology/Gender Studies at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), Faculty of Social Sciences. She is on sabbatical during Summer Semester 2025 but continues research supervision and colloquia. Her research focuses on intersections of racism, sexism, and neoliberalism, with notable works like The Future of Difference and Top Girls . She co-edits the journal Gender Salon and leads projects on gender studies, queer theory, and postfeminism. Her academic contributions span monographs, anthologies, and journal articles addressing global social movements, anti-genderism, and body politics. Key themes include critical analysis of contemporary gender regimes, decolonial theory, and the sociocultural implications of neoliberalism. Her work frequently bridges theory and activism, emphasizing intersectional approaches to systemic oppression. Publications include edited volumes on #MeToo, fat studies, and the sociological analysis of bodies, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary research. She maintains an active academic presence through her website LMU Gender Studies and Academia.edu .
Prof. Dr. Oliver Müller is a Professor at the Department of Philosophy, University of Freiburg, and serves as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy. His academic journey includes a doctorate from Humboldt University Berlin (2005) and a habilitation in Philosophy (2012). Müller leads research on Philosophical Anthropology, Philosophy of Technology, and Ethics, with a focus on human-machine interactions and Anthropocene ethics. He supervises doctoral and postdoctoral researchers across projects like livMatS and BrainLinks-BrainTools. Research interests span neuroethics, transhumanism, and socio-technological systems, emphasizing ethical frameworks for emerging technologies. Publications explore AI ethics, drone warfare, and phenomenological embodiment, reflecting interdisciplinary engagement with neuroscience and environmental philosophy. Honors include the MTZ Bioethics Award and Heisenberg Fellowship. Müller directs participatory discourse initiatives bridging art and science, fostering public engagement with technological ethics. His work advances critical dialogues on human enhancement and ecological responsibility in the digital age.
Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of BonnGermany
Prof. Cornelia Richter is a Professor of Systematic Theology and Hermeneutics at the Protestant Theological Faculty of the University of Bonn since 2012. She serves as Chair of the Senate of the University of Bonn since 2024 and has held leadership roles such as Dean of the Faculty of Protestant Theology (2020–2024). Born in 1970, she earned her doctorate (summa cum laude) from the University of Marburg in 2002 and habilitation in 2010. Her research focuses on Philosophy of Religion, Hermeneutics, and Resilience in Religion and Spirituality, notably leading the DFG-funded project FOR 2686. She has held visiting professorships in Zurich and Giessen and contributed to theology through editorial roles in journals like International Journal of Philosophy and Theology . Her work bridges theology with interdisciplinary studies, addressing modern challenges like pandemic resilience and interfaith dialogue. Education: PhD (2002), Habilitation (2010) – University of Marburg Studies in Protestant Theology and Philosophy – Universities of Vienna and Munich Research Fellowship – Center for Subjectivity Research, Copenhagen (2003–2005) Research Interests: Her work explores hermeneutical approaches to religious meaning, resilience in crises, and the interplay between theology and modern challenges. Key areas include: - Critical analysis of resilience frameworks in theology and philosophy - Theological engagement with modern existential issues (e.g., hope, fear, powerlessness) - Interdisciplinary dialogue on religion’s role in human sciences. - Resilience studies in healthcare and pandemic contexts. Grants & Projects: DFG-FOR 2686 “Resilience in Religion and Spirituality” (2019–2022) Editorial leadership in multiple theological journals and book series Co-director of the Bonn Institute of Hermeneutics Labs/Teams: Department of Systematic Theology, University of Bonn; interdisciplinary research groups on resilience and theology.
Max Planck Institute for the History of ScienceGermany
Martina Beate Geissler is an Associate Professor of Art at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She collaborates with Oliver Sann, focusing on the intersections of knowledge, power, and technology in Western culture, particularly how humans are transformed through technological systems. Their work critically examines the boundaries between factual documentation and constructed realities, engaging with media and technology's inherent biases. At the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG), Department I, they are developing the project Hopium Economy , which contextualizes the opioid crisis in the Midwestern USA within broader socio-political frameworks, including public health systems, pharmaceutical industries, racial tensions, and de-industrialization. The project redefines addiction as a core existential mode linked to the Anthropocene's challenges. They have received notable awards such as the Videonale Award and Herman-Claasen-Award, alongside grants from the Graham Foundation and Humanities without Walls. Their artistic work has been exhibited internationally in institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Photography (Chicago), Fotomuseum Antwerp, and the German Pavilion at the Photography Biennial Dubai, UAE. Scientific Awards & Grants Videonale Award, Bonn, Germany Herman-Claasen-Award, Cologne, Germany Graham Foundation Production Grant, Chicago Humanities without Walls Grant
Rebekka von Mallinckrodt is a Professor at the Department of Early Modern History , Universität Bremen . She specializes in Early Modern European History , focusing on slavery , colonial entanglements , sports and bodily practices , and gender dynamics . Her work bridges transnational history and legal studies , examining how European societies navigated freedom and subjugation between 1650–1850. Education : PhD in History (Augsburg, 2003); Staatsexamen (Bonn, 1998); studies in Bonn, Tübingen, Rome, and Bremen. Her research synthesizes slavery studies , cultural transfer , and bodily techniques , with a particular emphasis on German regions within global contexts . She leads the VolkswagenStiftung Opus Magnum project (2023–2024) and previously directed the ERC Consolidator Grant on German slavery . Articles highlight racial dynamics , legal paradoxes , and popular sports in Germany and France . Scientific Awards include NASSH Finalist , Feodor-Lynen Stipendium , and ProFiL Mentoring . She has served on juries for DFG , VolkswagenStiftung , and ERC , and is an Ordentliches Mitglied of the Akademie der Wissenschaften Hamburg (2022–). As an advisor, she has mentored over 15 PhD and Master’s candidates , including Sarah Lentz (awarded Best Dissertation, Bremen, 2020) and Jasper Hagedorn (received multiple prizes, 2023). She directed the Institute for Historical Sciences (2017–2023) and co-founded the DFG Network on Bodily Techniques (2009–2012). Her public engagement includes exhibitions, media interviews (e.g., NDR , SPIEGEL ), and contributions to encyclopedias like Encyclopedia of Early Modern History .
Pamela Klassen is a Professor and Chair in the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto, with a cross-appointment in the Department of Anthropology. She has taught at the University of Toronto since 1997 and has been a full professor since 2011. Her academic leadership includes serving as Chair & Graduate Chair of her department (2020-present) and as Vice-Dean, Undergraduate & International in the Faculty of Arts & Science (2016-2020). In 2022-2023, she served as the William Lyon Mackenzie King Visiting Professor of Canadian Studies at Harvard University. Professor Klassen's research focuses on colonialism, treaties, museums, and public memory. Her work spans several interconnected areas: Anthropology of religion, secularism, and mediation (including digital humanities) Christianity, colonialism, and land in North America & Turtle Island Religion, ritual, and public memory (including museum studies) Religion, spirituality, and gender Her scholarship demonstrates a consistent engagement with how religious practices, memories, and institutions intersect with questions of power, land, and identity in settler colonial contexts. Klassen's work often bridges historical and ethnographic approaches, examining both contemporary religious practices and their historical formations. Professor Klassen's publications reveal a trajectory of increasingly focused attention on the intersections of religion, land, and colonialism, with recent work emphasizing Indigenous perspectives and decolonial approaches to religious studies. Her scholarship moves fluidly between theoretical interventions in religious studies and concrete engagements with public memory projects. Scientific Awards & Honors 2022-2023: William Lyon Mackenzie King Visiting Professor of Canadian Studies, Harvard University 2019: Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada 2015-2020: Anneliese Maier Research Award, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation 2015: Northrop Frye Award of Excellence for Integration of Research and Teaching 2014-2017: Distinguished Visiting Professor in Anthropology of Modern Religion, University of Tübingen 2012: American Academy of Religion Award of Excellence for Spirits of Protestantism Professor Klassen has successfully secured significant research funding, including the prestigious Anneliese Maier Research Award which supported her collaborative work with the Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre. She has supervised numerous graduate students in religious studies and anthropology, with many going on to successful academic careers. Professor Klassen leads several major collaborative projects including Kiinawin Kawindomowin Story Nations, a digital storytelling initiative with the Rainy River First Nations, and Treaty Conversations, an educational resource about treaty relationships in Ontario. These projects exemplify her commitment to community-engaged scholarship that bridges academic research with public education and reconciliation efforts.
Max Planck Institute for Social AnthropologyGermany
Peter Redfield serves as Professor of Anthropology at the University of Southern California's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, where he bridges anthropology with science and technology studies, postcolonial theory, and humanitarian practice. He previously held the presidency of the Society for Cultural Anthropology (2017-2019) and maintains active affiliations with the LOST Research Network (Law, Organization, Science and Technology), though this network is transitioning to an archive in 2024. His research critically examines transnational expertise and the ethics of humanitarian interventions in contexts of unreliable infrastructure, with current projects including "Beyond Reliable Infrastructure"—which analyzes minimalist life technologies for water, sanitation, and health—and collaborative work with Stellenbosch University on sanitation politics in South Africa. Redfield's scholarship consistently interrogates how humanitarian design navigates utopian ideals of social justice while confronting material constraints and political complexities in global health. His publication trends reveal sustained focus on medical anthropology and humanitarian ethics, particularly through case studies of epidemic response (Ebola), technological fixes (LifeStraw®), and organizational practices (Doctors Without Borders). This work demonstrates evolving attention to material politics and infrastructure, moving from colonial histories (e.g., French Guiana rocketry) toward contemporary crises in global health governance. Redfield's research is supported by institutional affiliations including the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton, 2016-17) and collaborative partnerships across Africa. He leads interdisciplinary teams examining humanitarian innovation, with recent work emphasizing the material dimensions of aid delivery and the political economies of "dignified living" in marginalized communities.
Claudia Lang serves as Associate Professor for Anthropology and Health at both Leipzig University and Maastricht University, with her primary institutional base at Leipzig's Institute of Ethnology. Her academic journey includes a Heisenberg Fellowship at Leipzig University (2019-2024), multiple visiting professorships, and extensive research positions focused on mental health anthropology. Lang's research centers on the interface between mental health and social life, with particular emphasis on India. Her work examines how mental health concepts are localized and transformed within different cultural contexts, especially regarding depression in Kerala. She explores the intersection of traditional medicine (particularly Ayurveda) with biomedical mental health practices, digital innovations in mental healthcare, and the emerging field of ecological grief in climate-changed environments. Her research methodology is primarily ethnographic, involving deep fieldwork with designers, users, and practitioners. Lang's publications reveal consistent themes across medical anthropology, global mental health, and digital health innovations. Her work shows increasing attention to how digital tools are reshaping mental healthcare practices in non-Western contexts, while simultaneously examining how environmental changes affect mental wellbeing through frameworks of ecological grief. This dual focus represents a significant contribution to expanding mental health discourse beyond anthropocentric frameworks. Heisenberg Fellowship (2019-2024) Author of 'Depression in Kerala. Ayurveda and mental health care in the 21st century' (Routledge, 2018) Co-author of 'Global Health for All: Knowledge, Politics, and Practices' (Rutgers, 2022) Co-author of 'The Movement for Global Mental Health: Critical Views from South and Southeast Asia' (Amsterdam University Press, 2021) Lang actively supervises students and has developed courses on medical anthropology of South Asia, research methods, and anthropology of mental health. Her current research projects investigate digital mental health innovations in India and the experience of ecological grief in climate-changed environments, aiming to develop a concept of environmental mental health that moves beyond anthropocentric notions.
Hermanni Friedrich is a Professor of Systematic Theology at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen , affiliated with the Evangelical Theological Faculty . He co-opts with the Faculty of Philosophy and History since 2007 and works on German Idealism, particularly Schelling and Hegel, blending theology and philosophy. Education : Double degree in Protestant theology and philosophy (Wuppertal, Tübingen, Munich, Bochum); Doctorate (1993, summa cum laude); Habilitation in Systematic Theology (2001). Research Interests include theodicy, the nature of evil, metaphysics, mind-body dualism, and religious pluralism. He explores intersections between theological doctrines and philosophical frameworks, especially in German Idealism. Publication Trends : His works focus on Schelling's philosophy, theodicy, and interdisciplinary dialogues between theology, ethics, and metaphysics. Topics range from divine attributes and freedom to the philosophical implications of religious truth claims. Projects & Collaborations : Leads the Interuniversity Research Association for Metaphysics and Philosophy of Religion , investigating Schelling's late philosophy and truth claims of world religions with colleagues like Friedrike Schick and Christian Steiner.
Prof. Dr. Karin Polit is a full professor and head of the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the Asia-Orient-Institut, Faculty of Humanities, University of Tübingen. She has been in this position since April 2018 and is actively involved in research, teaching, and academic supervision. Her work is deeply rooted in ethnographic fieldwork in South Asia, particularly India. Education: B.A. in Anthropology, James Cook University, Australia (1998) Magister Artium in Anthropology (2001) Promotion (Ph.D.), University of Heidelberg (2006), topic: 'Ethnographic Reflections on Practices of Gender and Agency among Dalit Women in the Central Himalayas' Habilitation and Venia Legendi in Anthropology, University of Heidelberg (2015) Her research focuses on ritual, performance, gender, caste, medical anthropology, youth culture, and cultural heritage . She explores how global and local inequalities shape education, art, and resistance, with special attention to mental health, reproductive loss, and media in New Delhi and the Himalayas. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates ethnography, film, and sensory studies. The recent publications reflect a strong trend in ritual dynamics, embodiment, heritage politics, and youth agency in South Asia. Her work often examines how tradition and modernity intersect in religious festivals, political contexts, and personal identity. She frequently collaborates with scholars such as Prof. Gabriele Alex and Christiane Brosius. Scientific Awards and Recognitions: Venia Legendi Award, University of Heidelberg (2015) Margarete von Wrangell Fellow, South Asia Institute (2014–2018) Fellow, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Advanced Study, JNU, New Delhi (2012–2013) Baden-Württemberg Certificate for University Didactics (since 2012) Prof. Polit has supervised numerous Master’s and PhD students, including Pallabi Roy and Gaurav Lamichhane, and has led research projects funded by the DFG and international networks like AROGYAM. She has also contributed to academic service through editorial roles and guest professorships at institutions in Germany, India, and the Netherlands. Her audiovisual work, including ethnographic films, enhances public engagement with anthropological knowledge. She leads the department's research on South Asian societies and continues to expand collaborative networks across Europe and South Asia.
HUANG Fei is a Professor of Chinese History and Society in the Department of Chinese Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Tübingen, Germany. She has held this position since 2020, following a Junior Professorship at the same institution from 2014 to 2020. Her academic journey began with a BA in History from Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou, 2005) and culminated in a PhD in Chinese Studies from Leiden University (2012). University: University of Tübingen School: Faculty of Humanities Department: Department of Chinese Studies Academic Rank: Professor Email: fei.huang@uni-tuebingen.de Her research spans an interdisciplinary terrain, combining landscape studies, environmental history, history of the body, cultural geography, historical anthropology, art history, and material culture studies . Her work primarily investigates China’s historical development from the 16th to the 20th century, with a regional focus on Southwest China, especially Yunnan, and thematic attention to frontier dynamics, urban environments, and the interplay between natural resources and cultural memory. Professor Huang’s recent publications reveal a consistent and evolving scholarly trajectory centered on the transformation of natural and urban landscapes. Her research on hot springs —such as Huaqing Hot Springs—explores their roles in public health, urban planning, and ideological representation in modern China. Her earlier work on Dongchuan examines how imperial and local actors reshaped frontier landscapes through cultural representation, religious practice, and economic interests. Articles on sulfur manufacturing, bathing culture, and Tusi succession highlight her ability to connect local practices with broader global and environmental networks. Scientific Awards and Recognition: No specific awards or fellowships are mentioned in the provided texts. Advising and Grants: She supervises PhD and Master’s theses in Chinese history and culture, though specific student names are not listed. No explicit mention of grants or funded research projects is made in the texts, but her extensive publication record in top-tier journals suggests active research engagement. Labs and Research Teams: She is affiliated with the Department of Chinese Studies at the University of Tübingen and participates in interdisciplinary research within the Faculty of Humanities. Her work often involves collaboration with scholars in anthropology, geography, and environmental history, as evidenced by her co-taught courses and international academic engagement.
Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Grimm is a Professor of Theories and Methods of Special Education at Alanus University of Arts and Society since 2009. His academic background includes a PhD from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (1994) and postgraduate studies in education at Pädagogische Hochschule Reutlingen and University of Tübingen. He has extensive professional experience as a teacher, home director, and musician in curative education institutions. His research focuses on anthroposophical curative education, special education theory, and educator self-development. Key areas include historical studies of Rudolf Steiner's educational concepts, therapeutic community dynamics, and pedagogical inclusion strategies. He has authored monographs on curative education history and edited major works like the Compendium of Anthroposophical Curative Education . Prof. Grimm held leadership roles including Secretary of the International Conference for Curative Education and Social Therapy (1995-2017) and Director of Camphill Schulgemeinschaft Brachenreuthe (1988-1995). His teaching includes courses on the history of special education, curative methods, and hermeneutical understanding in pedagogy. His recent publications (2011-2016) explore meditative elements in curative education, historical analysis of epilepsy treatment, and the philosophical foundations of inclusive pedagogy. These works demonstrate a strong focus on integrating anthroposophical principles into modern educational practice.
Christoph Hammann is a researcher at the Department of New Testament Studies within the Faculty of Protestant Theology at the University of Münster, working under Professor Eve-Marie Becker's chair since August 2022. He is currently completing his habilitation on "Authority, Power, and Rule in the Lukan Double Work: Exegetical Investigations of Luke's Ascending Christology Against the Background of Greek-Roman Biography, Historiography, and Epic" (2022-present). His research spans multiple interdisciplinary areas at the intersection of biblical studies, ancient philosophy, and cultural history. Hammann's primary interests include Pauline theology and epistolography, the Lukan works in Greco-Roman cultural context, the relationship between natural science and theology in early Christianity, philosophy of the Imperial Period and Late Antiquity, conceptions of history in the New Testament, and the beginnings of Christianity in Rome. His academic background combines classical philology (specializing in Greek studies) with Protestant theology, enabling unique cross-disciplinary approaches to biblical texts. Hammann's publication record reveals a consistent engagement with how early Christian texts interacted with and transformed contemporary Greco-Roman discourses on topics like purity, authority, and cosmology. His work often examines the philosophical and medical contexts of biblical concepts, particularly in relation to heart metaphors, sacrificial practices, and Christological development. DAAD Congress Travel Grant (2023) Publication subsidy for dissertation (2019) PhD Prize from Philipps-Universität Marburg (2019) Multiple international research grants from Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst (2015-2018) Fondation Hardt research grant (2017) Hammann actively contributes to academic life through teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in New Testament exegesis (including Greek language instruction), organizing conferences such as the upcoming Colloquium Biblicum Lovaniense LXXIV on The Corinthian Letters (2025), and co-editing scholarly volumes like "Opfer in Antiochien" (2023). He serves on multiple academic committees and is a member of several scholarly societies including the Society of Biblical Literature (since 2025) and the Münster School of Ancient Cultures (since 2023). His research group within the Excellence Cluster "Religion and Politics" focuses on ancient cultural contexts of early Christianity, with particular attention to the intersections between biblical texts and Greco-Roman philosophical, medical, and political discourses. Hammann also leads student excursions to Rome to study early Christian sites and Pauline contexts.
Bernd Ladwig is a University Professor of Political Theory and Philosophy at the Free University of Berlin's Otto Suhr Institute for Political Science. He has held this position since February 2011, following a Junior Professorship at the same institution from 2004-2010. His academic career includes previous positions as a Scientific Assistant at Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg (2000-2004) and at Humboldt University Berlin (1998-2000). Ladwig received his doctorate in philosophy from Humboldt University of Berlin in 1999 (summa cum laude) with a thesis on "Justice and Responsibility: A Study of the Concept of Equality in Ethical Liberalism," supervised by Prof. Dr. Herfried Münkler and Prof. Dr. Axel Honneth. He completed his Diplom in Political Science at Freie Universität Berlin in 1994 with highest distinction. His research focuses on human rights, animal rights, justice theory, political philosophy, and applied ethics. He has developed significant expertise in normative theories of global relations, multiculturalism, democracy theories, and the intersection of political theory with animal ethics. His work often explores the anthropological foundations of ethics and the relationship between theoretical frameworks and practical political issues. Ladwig has published extensively on topics ranging from the philosophical foundations of human rights to the political theory of human-animal relationships. Ladwig's recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward integrating animal ethics into mainstream political theory. His work challenges traditional boundaries between human and non-human rights while maintaining rigorous philosophical standards. He has developed a distinctive position that advocates for political justice for animals without necessarily granting them citizenship status in human political communities. Principal Investigator of the Interdisciplinary Graduate College "Human Rights under Pressure - Ethics, Law, and Politics" (2014-2017) Director of the annual course "The Diversity of Human Rights" at the Inter-University Center Dubrovnik Member of the Green Academy Co-editor of the journal Leviathan - Berlin Journal for Social Science Member of the Political Theory and Intellectual History section of the German Political Science Association (DVPW) Ladwig has supervised numerous doctoral students and has been actively involved in academic service as a reviewer for major journals and research foundations. His teaching covers a wide range of topics including political theory, philosophy of human rights, animal ethics, and classical political philosophy from Rousseau to Kant.
Michael Quante is a Professor of Philosophy with a focus on Practical Philosophy at the University of Münster. His affiliations include leadership roles in the Cluster of Excellence 'Religion and Politics', the Graduate School, and the Center for Science Communication. He holds dual roles as Prorector for International Affairs and Sustainability at the University of Münster. His academic career includes habilitation (2001) and a PhD (1992) from the University of Münster, with earlier studies in Philosophy and German at the Universities of Münster and Berlin. Quante’s research focuses on Philosophy of German Idealism, especially Hegel and Marx, Philosophy of the Person, Action Theory, and Biomedical Ethics. Notable projects include leading the 'Religious-Philosophical Noncognitivism' project and co-editing the 'Hegel Studien' series. His work bridges philosophical theory with contemporary societal issues, such as ethics in science, inclusive education, and the critique of religion. His recent publications emphasize Marx’s philosophy, Hegelian recognition theory, and ethical aspects of biomedical technologies. He has received prestigious awards, including the German Prize for Philosophy and Sozialethik (2013) and honorary doctorates from institutions like the Ilia State University (2023). He actively contributes to academic governance, including roles in the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and the Academia Europaea. Quante’s advising and grants include leading interdisciplinary projects on individualization and evolutionary processes. His involvement in labs and teams includes the Center for Bioethics and the Graduate School 'Evolutionary Processes of Adaptation and Disease'.
