Marcus Otto

Marcus Otto serves as a Researcher and deputy head of the "Knowledge in Transition" department at the Georg Eckert Institute, a leading independent research institution specializing in international textbook studies. His scholarly work bridges historical analysis with contemporary educational challenges, focusing on how textbooks reflect and shape societal understandings of historical events, national identities, and cultural transformations.

Dr. Otto earned his doctorate with an interdisciplinary thesis on the genealogy of political inclusion in France following master's studies in history, sociology, and modern history at Bielefeld University. His academic journey includes teaching European history at Bielefeld University (2001-2008), participation in the Collaborative Research Center "The Political as a Space of Communication in History," and membership in international research groups examining Islamic culture and modern society.

His research program centers on the representation of European identity formation, particularly through the lens of crisis semantics in 20th-century textbooks. He investigates how educational materials construct narratives around decolonization, migration, religious pluralism, and societal transformation. His methodological approach combines discourse analysis, historical research, and postcolonial theory to unpack how textbooks mediate complex historical processes for students.

Analysis of his extensive publication record reveals consistent engagement with questions of representation and power in educational media. His work demonstrates increasing focus on contemporary challenges including refugee integration, queer diversity, and the evolving role of textbooks in digital learning environments, while maintaining deep engagement with historical case studies of France and Germany.

Dr. Otto has led significant research projects including the DFG-funded "Decolonization and Memory Politics. Textbooks in the Context of Social Conflicts in France (1962-2009)" and currently serves as Deputy Project Manager for "Queer Diversity and Heteronormativity in Schoolbooks" (2023-2026). His editorial leadership includes co-founding the journal "Body Politics – Zeitschrift für Körpergeschichte" (2013) and editing special issues on postcolonial memory politics in educational media.

As deputy head of the "Knowledge in Transition" department, Otto contributes to advancing international dialogue about educational media while maintaining active scholarly engagement through conference presentations, workshops, and collaborative research initiatives examining how textbooks navigate contested historical narratives and contemporary social challenges.