Niklas Herrberg

Niklas Herrberg serves as a Research Associate at the Department of Sociology IV, Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf since April 2020. He concurrently works on his doctoral dissertation examining antisemitism experiences among Jews in Germany under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Heiko Beyer and Prof. Dr. Gert Pickel.

His research focuses on Antisemitism, Conspiracy Theories, and Right-wing Extremism, particularly the Reichsbürger movement, employing qualitative methodological approaches. Herrberg's doctoral work explores how Jews in Germany experience and interpret antisemitism through phenomenologically oriented sociology of knowledge, drawing on Alfred Schütz's work and Axel Honneth's recognition theory.

Herrberg's five recent publications (2021-2024) reveal consistent thematic patterns across sociology, religion, and migration studies, with particular emphasis on Jewish experiences of antisemitism, conspiracy theory dissemination, and right-wing extremist movements. His research demonstrates sophisticated analysis of social interaction dynamics, identity politics, and recognition theory frameworks.

• 2024: Missachtungserfahrungen und Anerkennungsforderungen unter Jüdinnen und Juden in Deutschland
• 2024: In Hiding? Multifaceted reactions of German Jews to the threat of antisemitism
• 2024: "Importierter Antisemitismus"? Differenzierende Wahrnehmungen in Deutschland lebender Jüdinnen und Juden
• 2023: The revelations of Q. Dissemination and resonance of the QAnon conspiracy theory
• 2021: Durch Gott legitimiert, das "Reich" zu befreien: Religiöse Semantiken in der Reichsbürgerszene

Herrberg actively contributes to academic discourse through numerous conference presentations across Europe and North America, including at the American Sociological Association and European Sociological Association conferences. He teaches advanced seminars on Reichsbürger movement, masculinity and prostitution, incels, and antisemitism in social movements, demonstrating strong commitment to both research and pedagogy. His work with the ArenDt research project (2021-2023) examining radical Islam's impact on Jewish life in Germany further demonstrates his engagement with contemporary societal challenges.