Detlef Müller-Mahn

Prof. Dr. Detlef Müller-Mahn serves as Professor of Geographical Development Research at the Department of Geography, University of Bonn, where he leads a research group examining the spatial dimensions of social, economic, and cultural development processes. His work critically investigates the causes and consequences of unequal human development across different scales, with particular focus on Sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Namibia, Ivory Coast) and South Asia (India).

His academic journey features:

• Habilitation at FU Berlin (1996): 'Fellach Villages. Social Geographical Change in Rural Egypt'
• Dissertation: 'The Aulad 'Ali between Tribe and State. Development and Social Change among the Bedouins in Northwestern Egypt?'
• Professor at University of Bonn (2013-present)
• Chair of Population and Social Geography at University of Bayreuth (2001-2013)
• Extensive field experience in Middle Eastern and North African countries as GTZ expatriate and consultant

Müller-Mahn approaches 'development geography' with critical awareness, using quotation marks to highlight 'development' as a contested discursive construct shaped by power dynamics rather than a neutral process. His research explores three interconnected thematic areas: political ecology and critical human-environment interactions; spatial implications of globalization processes; and issues of risk, uncertainty, and vulnerability in social-ecological systems. He examines how development models 'travel' across contexts, being adapted and modified by local actors.

His recent publications reveal consistent engagement with future-making practices, socio-technical imaginaries, and the politics of development in Africa. Key themes include the Great Green Wall initiative, water-energy-food nexus challenges, infrastructure development, and the translation of global development paradigms into local contexts. His work consistently employs political ecology frameworks to analyze power relations in environmental governance.

Müller-Mahn currently leads multiple significant research initiatives including the Great Green Wall and Sahelian Environmental Imaginaries project (2023-2026), the Collaborative Research Center 228 'Future Rural Africa,' and the NILE-NEXUS project examining sustainable food-energy-water systems in the Blue Nile Mountains. These projects involve interdisciplinary collaboration with researchers across Germany, Africa, and beyond.

His research group maintains strong partnerships with local institutions across research sites in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, and other African countries, emphasizing collaborative knowledge production. Funding comes from major sources including the German Research Foundation (DFG), Belmont Forum, and international research consortia, supporting extensive fieldwork and academic exchange.

The Research Group on Geographical Development Research operates within the Department of Geography at the University of Bonn, maintaining close institutional connections with the Collaborative Research Center 228 and other interdisciplinary initiatives focused on social-ecological transformation in Africa. The group actively contributes to current socio-political debates while deepening theoretical knowledge on development issues.