Robert Pütz

Prof. Dr. Robert Pütz is a Professor of Human Geography at the Institute of Human Geography, Department of Geosciences/Geography, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main. He has held this position since 2004, after previously serving as a Professor of Social Geography at the University of Osnabrück. His academic journey began with a doctorate and habilitation at the University of Mainz, where he worked as a research assistant from 1998-2003.

His primary institutional affiliation is with Goethe University Frankfurt, where he leads research in human geography with a focus on socio-economic metropolitan studies and geographies of human-animal relations. His extensive collaborations include significant partnerships with G. Glasze, C. Steiner, and E. Kornherr on projects related to urban governance, human-animal relations, and spatial transformations across Germany and internationally.

Prof. Pütz's research interests span multiple interconnected domains:

• Cultural geographies in the context of international migration and transculturality
• Geographies of human-animal relationships and more-than-human perspectives
• Transformation processes in urban areas under neoliberal conditions
• Geographical trade research and geographies of consumption

His recent scholarly output demonstrates a strong shift toward human-animal relations, with numerous publications examining interspecies interactions in urban settings, animal commodification processes, and the spatial dimensions of these relationships. His work bridges theoretical human geography with empirical studies across various global contexts from Frankfurt to Namibia and New Zealand.

Prof. Pütz has secured significant research funding through:

• Research Training Group 'Habitual Change – Societal Transformation and Spatial Materialization of Housing' (DFG, ongoing)
• Compatibility discourses in inner-city shopping centers (DFG, 2017-2019)
• Autonomous immigration of foreign nursing professionals (Hans-Boeckler Foundation, 2015-2017)
• Counter-hegemonic spatial discourses in disadvantaged urban districts (DFG, 2011-2014)
• Business Improvement Districts research (DFG, 2009-2011)

His research group includes several scientific staff members who contribute to ongoing projects and publications. The team's work frequently appears in high-impact geography journals, reflecting the innovative nature of their approach to understanding spatial relations in contemporary society.