Miriam Tekath

Miriam Tekath is a Research Associate at the Center for Conflict Research (Zentrum für Konfliktforschung) at Philipps University of Marburg, working in Prof. Dr. Thorsten Bonacker's team. She currently serves as Research Coordinator at EUPeace (the European University for Peace, Justice, and Inclusive Societies) since May 2024 and previously held positions as Research Fellow at RWTH Aachen University (2023-2024) and as a political advisor in peace and conflict research since 2022.

Academic Background:

• Certificate in Professional University Teaching (2023)
• Mediator certification with focus on non-violent communication (2018)
• MA in Peace and Conflict Studies, Philipps University Marburg (2016-2018)
• MA in Political Science: Democratic Governance and Civil Society, University of Osnabrück (2015-2019, with distinction)
• Bachelor in Political Science (Major) and French (Minor), University of Bremen (2011-2015, with distinction)

Tekath's research sits at the intersection of political science and micro-sociology, examining social conflicts in societies polarized by secessionist movements. Her doctoral project investigates the meaning-making significance of politicized differences in everyday conflict interactions, using Quebec (Canada) and Casamance (Senegal) as empirical frameworks. She analyzes universities as micro-contexts of societal polarization, exploring how academic community members navigate the tension between politicization and cooperation. Her methodological expertise includes qualitative content analysis, group discussions, and situational analysis, with regional focus on Canada, Senegal, Francophone countries, and Southeast Europe.

Analyzing her publication record reveals a consistent trajectory examining how social actors navigate politicized differences in polarized contexts. Her work demonstrates growing methodological sophistication in understanding the simultaneity of conflict and cooperation in academic settings within divided societies. A distinctive feature of her scholarship is the application of relational perspectives to everyday conflict interactions, particularly in educational institutions serving as microcosms of broader societal divisions.

Scientific Recognition:

• DAAD International Conference Scholarship (2024)
• RWTH Aachen Early Career Support (2023)
• Marburg Research Academy Travel Grant (2023)
• DAAD Conference Funding (2022)
• DAAD Short-term Doctoral Scholarship (2020/21)
• International Council for Canadian Studies Scholarship (2020)
• Association for Canadian Studies Research Award (2018)

Tekath has developed an extensive teaching portfolio in peace and conflict studies, including courses on institutional conflict regulation, relational dimensions of peace studies, and mediation in multicultural contexts. She pioneered innovative teaching methods like combining 'Elevator Pitch' with 'Speed-Dating' techniques to address complexity-reduction challenges in conflict education. As spokesperson for the 'Curriculum and Didactics' working group of the German Association for Peace and Conflict Studies since 2020, she has significantly influenced pedagogical approaches in the field.

Her current leadership role at EUPeace represents the culmination of her trajectory from student research assistant (2014-2018) to Research Coordinator, demonstrating her growing influence in European peace education initiatives. Her ongoing doctoral work examining everyday conflict interactions in polarized societies positions her at the forefront of contemporary conflict research methodology.