Lea Müller-Funk

Dr. Lea Müller-Funk is a Senior Researcher and Elise Richter Fellow at the Department for Migration and Globalisation, University for Continuing Education Krems. She holds a PhD in Comparative Politics and Arabic Studies from Sciences Po Paris and Vienna University. Her research focuses on diaspora politics, migration governance, and displacement contexts in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. She leads the SYREALITY project, investigating Syrian refugees' migration decisions and life aspirations. She is also involved in projects like TIES, aiming to teach migration in schools. Müller-Funk teaches in the PhD Programme 'Migration Studies' and organizes interdisciplinary migration seminars. She has held postdoctoral positions at Oxford, Amsterdam, and the German Institute for Global and Area Studies.

Education:

• PhD in Comparative Politics and Arabic Studies, Sciences Po Paris and Vienna University

Research Interests: Migration decision-making, forced migration governance, diaspora politics, Middle Eastern and North African studies, and EU policy.

Key Projects:

• SYREALITY (FWF-funded): Examines drivers of mobility and refugee aspirations in Europe and the Middle East.
• TIES: Develops educational modules on migration for schools across Europe.
• MAGYC: Explores migration governance during asylum crises.

Awards:

• Elise Richter Fellowship (FWF)

Teaching & Engagement: Associate lecturer at the University of Vienna; supervises PhD/MA theses; organizes interdisciplinary migration research seminars.

Labs/Teams: Part of the Center for Migration and Globalisation Research, collaborating on transnational migration studies.