Harald Sterly

Dr. Harald Sterly is a Senior Scientist at the Department of Geography and Regional Research, University of Vienna, within the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy. His research focuses on the intersection of climate change, environmental shifts, and human mobility, emphasizing translocal social networks and resilience. He holds a PhD from the University of Cologne, where his thesis examined mobile communication and translocal relations among Bangladeshi migrants.

Research interests include spatial livelihoods, translocality, relational sociology, and the impacts of migration on vulnerability and resilience. He has coordinated projects on urban dynamics in Bangladesh and China, and migration-translocality linkages in Thailand. His work spans Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Africa, with a methodological focus on mixed approaches.

Recent articles explore habitability in unequal global contexts, climate migration, ICT roles in Thai migrant networks, and policy frameworks for human mobility in climate planning. His contributions bridge environmental and social geographies, advocating for nuanced understanding of adaptation strategies amid global challenges.

Labs/Teams: Population Geography and Demography working group at the University of Vienna. Collaborations include UN bodies and interdisciplinary global networks.