Helen Bönnighausen

Helen Bönnighausen is a Doctoral Fellow at the Max-Weber-Kolleg (University of Erfurt). Her work bridges theoretical and empirical research in differentiation theory, phenomenology, and spatial sociology.

• University: University of Erfurt
• Research Unit: Max-Weber-Kolleg
• Email: helen.boennighausen@uni-erfurt.de

Research Interests center on transition processes between contexts of meaning in contemporary societies. She examines how individuals navigate daily shifts between social frames (e.g., office to home, urban to private spaces) and how these transitions reflect societal negotiation of modern living. Her approach combines theoretical analysis (Goffman, Plessner, Turner, Schütz, Löw) with empirical fieldwork in Berlin through narrative-based and go-along interviews.

Recent Publications include collaborative work on sharing economy impacts on urban proximity and a working paper on property-usage tensions. She actively presents at interdisciplinary conferences, such as the German Sociological Association 2025 and KFG Religion and Urbanity Workshops.

Projects aim to translate findings into spatial and urban planning applications, addressing infrastructure gaps for transitional spaces and societal implications of context plurality.