Melanie Pierburg

Melanie Pierburg is a Researcher in the Department of Sociology at the University of Hildesheim's Institute of Social Sciences. Since 2017, she has served as a Research Associate in the Methods Center, specializing in qualitative research methodologies. Her work intersects

• Thanatosociology
• Sociology of Knowledge
• Ethnography
• Educational Research

with a focus on DDR-era educational myths, vulnerability in climate activism, and end-of-life care dynamics.

Her recent publications explore

• collective vulnerability in Extinction Rebellion
• ethnographic challenges in death studies
• biographical constructions in DDR memory
• methodological innovations in qualitative longitudinal research

She co-authored studies on ethnic school segregation (SEPLIVES project) and contributes to debates on solidarity discourses during crises.

Melanie's research frequently examines the intersection of embodiment, affectivity, and social practice, employing phenomenological and ethnographic approaches to analyze

• corporeal experiences in hospice training
• temporal dimensions of dying
• emotional labor in voluntary end-of-life work
• visual representations of death

Her methodological expertise includes video analysis and qualitative interviewing techniques.