Kerstin Jergus

Prof. Dr. Kerstin Jergus is a Professor of General Educational Science at the University of Hamburg's Faculty of Education, based in the Department of General, Intercultural and International Comparative Education and Educational Psychology. She holds a Habilitation (venia legendi) from Goethe University Frankfurt and has held academic positions at TU Braunschweig, Technical University Dresden, and the University of Freiburg (Switzerland). Her research focuses on education theory, cultural studies in education, knowledge policy, childhood studies, and trauma in educational contexts.

Her academic journey includes a PhD from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (2010) and extensive postdoctoral research, including leadership of a DFG-funded project on early childhood education (2012–2015). She has taught at multiple European institutions, including Universities of Frankfurt, Vienna, Bielefeld, and Wuppertal. Her work integrates theoretical and empirical approaches, emphasizing interdisciplinary dialogue and critical pedagogical perspectives.

Her research interests span the theory and history of education, cultural studies approaches to education, and the intersection of education with concepts like heterogeneity, parenthood, and professionalization. She has authored/co-edited over 20 books and numerous articles published in leading journals such as Erziehungswissenschaft, Debatte, and Zeitschrift für Pädagogik. Notable works include Kritik (in) der Frühpädagogik (2025) and Interferenzen (2014).

Her recent publications emphasize future-oriented education, climate activism's educational implications, and media's role in pedagogical relationships. She actively engages in academic policy debates, including research on precarious academic conditions and the 'middle tier' of academia.

Prof. Jergus has organized conferences such as the Summer School of Educational Theory (2019) and the Workshop on 'Doing Theory' (2011). Her work bridges theoretical rigor with practical educational challenges, contributing to both academic discourse and policy-oriented initiatives.