Ruth Ditlmann

Prof. Ruth Ditlmann is a Professor of Psychology and Public Policy at the Hertie School, Berlin, and recipient of the Volkswagen Foundation's Lichtenberg Professorship. Her research focuses on intergroup contact, peacebuilding interventions, national identity, and the application of behavioral insights to policymaking. She holds a PhD from Yale University (2012) and has held positions at Princeton University, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin (WZB), and Columbia University. Her work bridges academia and practice, including collaborations with civil society organizations to design dialogue programs promoting democratic values through sports. She has published extensively in social psychology journals and gained non-academic experience as an impact analyst at PHINEO gAG. Key awards include the Lichtenberg Professorship, recognizing her innovative interdisciplinary research.

Education: PhD in Psychology from Yale University (2012), Postdoctoral Fellowships at Princeton University (2014-2015) and WZB Berlin (2012-2020). Research emphasizes field-experimental approaches to social cohesion and integration in conflict-affected contexts. She explores how historical memory and intergroup interactions shape collective identities and policy outcomes.

Her articles analyze topics like the impact of digital history projects on symbolic justice, intergroup contact effects on political attitudes, and reconciliation processes between Germans and Israelis. Awards include the Lichtenberg Professorship, reflecting her role in advancing socially relevant psychological research. She teaches courses on policy evaluation and intergroup relations, integrating behavioral science into public policy design.