Jana Günther

Prof. Dr. Jana Günther serves as Professor for Social Science Fundamentals at the Evangelical University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt, specifically at the Schwalmstadt/Treysa campus, a position she has held since April 2022. Prior to this appointment, she was Acting Professor for Sociological Foundations at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences from October 2019 to March 2022, and has held teaching and research positions at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences and TU Dresden. Her academic journey reflects deep commitment to social justice education and research within the German higher education landscape.

Dr. Günther's educational background includes a Doctorate in Social Sciences from Humboldt University of Berlin (2017) and a Diploma in Social Sciences from the same institution (2005). Her doctoral work was supported by a prestigious scholarship from the Hans Böckler Foundation (2008-2012), reflecting early recognition of her scholarly potential.

Her research program critically examines social inequality through intersectional frameworks, with particular attention to how gender, class, and historical context shape experiences of marginalization. Dr. Günther has established herself as a leading scholar on the history of women's movements, especially highlighting the proletarian wing that has been historically marginalized in feminist historiography. Her work on protest cultures bridges historical analysis with contemporary social movements, examining tactics from suffragette militancy to contemporary climate activism. She has developed a distinctive approach that connects theoretical sophistication with practical relevance for social work practitioners.

Dr. Günther's publication trajectory reveals a consistent evolution from historical studies of women's movements toward contemporary analyses of intersectional inequality and resistance. Her work demonstrates remarkable interdisciplinary range, connecting sociology, political science, gender studies, and social work to produce scholarship that informs both academic discourse and practical interventions. The recurring themes across her publications include power dynamics in social movements, the construction of poverty, and the complex relationship between identity and solidarity in feminist organizing.

• 2021: Studentische Nominierung für den h_da-Lehrpreis für die Lehrveranstaltungen "Wohnungslosigkeit und Wohnungslosenhilfe - Projekt" und "Queer Studies"
• 2018: Travel Award Graduiertenakademie der TU Dresden
• 2016: Erasmus+, Teaching Staff Mobility Funding
• 2008-2012: Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, Stipendium
• 2007: 3. Wissenschaftspreis der Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung Sachsen e.V.
• 2001: 2. Preis für gute Lehre an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

As an academic advisor, Dr. Günther actively supervises student theses on diverse topics including political participation, social movement history, gender-specific occupational segregation, and intersectional inequality analysis. Her research funding portfolio includes significant projects such as "Women in the War Industry," comparative studies of citizenship and democratization, and youth studies examining solidarity and identity formation. She regularly provides expert consultation for governmental and non-governmental organizations, including contributions to Dresden's equality report and the European Institute for Gender Equality's country reporting. Her commitment to student-centered pedagogy is evident in both her teaching practice and scholarly writing on educational innovation.

Within her institution, Dr. Günther serves on multiple governance bodies including the Senate Commission for Digitalization Strategy, Departmental Council, and Examination Boards. Her scholarly leadership extends to editorial roles at Frontiers in Sociology and Femina Politica, where she has shaped disciplinary discourse for over a decade. She maintains active connections between academic work and civil society through her membership in numerous professional and activist organizations spanning gender studies, poverty research, and social justice advocacy.