Janek Becker

Janek Becker is a Researcher at the Institut für Didaktik integrativer Fächer, part of the Faculty of Social Sciences at TU Dortmund. His work focuses on urban space production in marginalized inner-city neighborhoods, urban transformations, social movements, and comparative urban research, with regional emphases on the Ruhr region, Germany, and Brazil. He holds a Master's in Geography (Urban and Regional Development Management) from Ruhr-Universität Bochum and has conducted fieldwork in Brazil.

Education: Master's (2016–2019) and continued Bachelor's in Geography at Ruhr-Universität Bochum; earlier studies in Geography, Romance Studies (Portuguese), and African Languages/Cultures at Universität zu Köln (2009–2012). Bachelor's thesis: 'Recht auf Stadt in der Favela?' (Right to the City in Favelas?).

Research Interests: Explores spatial production dynamics in marginalized urban areas, focusing on the role of NGOs and grassroots movements in shaping urban spaces. His work in Rio de Janeiro's Maré favela highlights community-driven urban development. He also engages in comparative urban studies between Germany and Latin America.

Teaching: Since 2020, he teaches 'Wirtschaftspolitik' in the Social Sciences program and co-leads seminars on industrialization in primary education. His academic memberships include the German Geography Society's Latin America and Qualitative Methods sections, and the German Association for Applied Geography (DVAG).